Farmers prepared to protest till May 2024: BKU leader Tikait

Farmers from villages do notwant us come back until the three farm bills are taken back,he said.The government is adamant on its stance of notwithdrawing the bills and this agitation will continue forlong, Tikait added.He welcomed the SCs decision on staying theimplementation of the farm laws, but said the committee formedby the apex court has members who supported the farm bills.We do not want to go before the committee formed bythe court.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU)leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday said farmers are prepared toprotest against the Centre's new farm laws ''till May 2024'',and termed the ongoing agitation by peasants at Delhi bordersas an ''ideological revolution''.

Addressing a press conference in Nagpur, Tikait saidthey want a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Farmers have been protesting near Delhi since November26, 2020, demanding scrapping of the three new farm laws,which have been projected by the Centre as major reforms inthe agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen andallow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.

However, the protesting farmers have expressedapprehension that the new laws would pave the way foreliminating the safety cushion of the MSP and do away with themandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

The Supreme Court last Tuesday stayed theimplementation of the three new farm laws till further ordersand decided to set up a four-member committee to resolve theimpasse over them between the Centre and farmers' unionsprotesting at Delhi borders.

Asked how long will farmers will sit in protest,Tikait said, ''We are prepared to sit in protest till May2024...our demand is that the three laws be taken back and thegovernment provide a legal guarantee on the MSP.'' The next Lok Sabha elections in the country will bedue around April-May 2024.

Dismissed allegations that the protest was beingfuelled by ''rich farmers'', Tikait said people from villagesand various outfits have joined the protest.

''This is an ideological revolution of farmers startedfrom Delhi and will not fail. Farmers from villages do notwant us come back until the three farm bills are taken back,''he said.

''The government is adamant on its stance of notwithdrawing the bills and this agitation will continue forlong,'' Tikait added.

He welcomed the SC's decision on staying theimplementation of the farm laws, but said the committee formedby the apex court has members who ''supported'' the farm bills.

''We do not want to go before the committee formed bythe court. The government has also said that the governmentand farmers will find solution on this issue,'' he said.

Tikait also said the opposition parties in the countrywere weak and that is why farmers had to start this agitationagainst the Centre's new laws.

On National Investigation Agency's (NIA) notices tosome people supporting the farmers' protest, he said, ''Thosewho want to be part of the agitation must be ready for courtcases, imprisonment and sealing of property.'' PTI CLS BNMGK GK