The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): Rakesh Tikait, the leader of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), has declared that the ongoing farmer protests at the Delhi borders will persist until all their demands are addressed. However, he also expressed hope for a potential resolution through dialogue.
Tikait, a prominent figure in the previous extensive protest against agricultural laws, announced that the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) would convene on Thursday to determine the future direction of the agitation. He firmly stated that the movement would endure until all demands are fulfilled and criticized the use of tear gas on peacefully protesting farmers in Haryana, asserting that the farmers would not retreat.
The core demands highlighted by the farmers include a guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP), the retraction of the Electricity Amendment Bill, and the implementation of the Swaminathan committee report. Tikait emphasized the nationwide impact of not guaranteeing MSP and advocated for excluding private entities from the agricultural sector. He warned of intensified demonstrations if the government fails to meet these demands.
The upcoming SKM meeting, expected to draw farmers from across India, will discuss strategies to advance their protest. Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, reiterating the Centre’s readiness for dialogue, has extended an invitation for a fifth round of discussions, covering issues like MSP, stubble, FIR, and crop diversification. Munda appealed for peaceful resolution through dialogue.
As the ‘Dilli Chalo’ march resumed on Wednesday morning, the protesting farmers, voicing demands such as legal guarantees for MSPs, loan waivers, and withdrawal of FIRs from previous protests, faced roadblocks. Security personnel halted farmers from Punjab at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana. This standoff highlights the ongoing tensions and the critical need for effective dialogue to resolve the farmers’ grievances.