NAGPUR, Jan 17: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday said farmers are prepared to protest against the Centre’s new farm laws “till May 2024”, and termed the ongoing agitation by peasants at Delhi borders as an “ideological revolution”.
Addressing a press conference in Nagpur, Tikait said they want a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Farmers have been protesting near Delhi since November 26, 2020, demanding scrapping of the three new farm laws, which have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.
Asked how long will farmers will sit in protest, Tikait said, “We are prepared to sit in protest till May 2024... our demand is that the three laws be taken back and the government provide a legal guarantee on the MSP.”
Dismissing allegations that the protest was being fuelled by “rich farmers”, Tikait said people from villages and various outfits have joined the protest. “This is an ideological revolution of farmers started from Delhi and will not fail. Farmers from villages do not want us to come back until the three farm bills are taken back,” he said.
“The government is adamant on its stance of not withdrawing the bills and this agitation will continue for long,” Tikait added. – PTI
