“SKM to Hold a Crucial Meeting with Farmers from Across the Nation,” Says BKU Leader Rakesh Tikait

NEW DELHI:
Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday asserted that a crucial meeting of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) is scheduled for Thursday, where farmers from across the country will convene to decide the future course of the agitation. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait has declared that a memorandum outlining crucial demands of the farmers will be submitted to both the state and central governments.

“The key issues of the farmers are MSP guarantee, the electricity amendment bill and the implementation of Swaminathan committee report. If there is no guarantee on MSP, farmers of the whole country will face problems,” Tikait said. Highlighting the need for the MSP, Tikait strongly advocated for the exclusion of private players in the agricultural sector.

“The private players should have no role to play. Big demonstrations are being held across the nation for this and this moment will be taken further,” he said. “If the government won’t agree to the demands then definitely all talks between the Centre and farmers will go in vain,” he added.

“On Thursday, SKM will hold a crucial meeting, which will be attended by farmers from across the country. In which it will be decided, how do we go ahead with the agitation. The farmers who are fighting in Punjab are not just for the farmers of Punjab and Haryana, it is for the farmers of the whole nation,” Tikait said. Meanwhile, Union agriculture minister Arjun Munda has expressed a willingness to engage in discussions with farmers and invited them for the fifth round of talks.

“In the 5th round of meetings, we are ready to talk with farmers and discuss issues like MSP, stubble, FIR, and crop diversification. I appeal to them to maintain peace and we should find a solution through dialogue,” Munda said while speaking to ANI. After the fourth round of talks with the Centre, the farmer leaders resumed the ‘Dilli Chalo’ march on Wednesday morning.

The farmers have raised various demands, including an ordinance ensuring legal guarantees for MSPs and loan waivers. Commencing their march to the national capital on Tuesday, farmers from Punjab were stopped by security personnel at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points, situated between Punjab and Haryana.