BKU leader Rakesh Tikait demands state-wise compensation for farmers who died in protests

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait has called for state-wise compensation and employment for the kin of farmers who died while protesting farm laws. Tikait, speaking to ANI ahead of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha's scheduled meeting on Saturday, said, "Our demand for minimum support price (MSP) is from the Government of India. The talks have just started, we will see how it goes. We won't develop any strategies today, we will only discuss how the agitation should move forward."

Tikait went on to say that the Friday talks between Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and farmers were inconclusive. "Talks between Haryana CM and farmers yesterday remained inconclusive, although they have agreed to take back the cases registered against farmers. Like Punjab, we need state-wise compensation for deaths of farmers and employment," he added.

KM to take a call on agitation

Tikait's declaration comes ahead of today's meeting of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. The SKM has opted to wait for the union government to respond officially and completely to all of the demands it made in its letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The SKM issued an official communication on November 28 that stated, "Samyukt Kisan Morcha has decided to wait for the Government of India to respond formally and fully to all the demands raised by it in its letter to the Prime Minister of India on November 21. SKM decided to give more time to the Central Government by suspending the planned Tractor March to Sansad from November 29. Protesting farmers will take a decision on further action, in the next meeting fixed on December 4 of Samyukt Kisan Morcha."

PM Modi announces repeal of farm laws 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on November 19 that the Centre will introduce the appropriate bills to repeal the farm rules in the Winter Session of Parliament, which will begin later this month. The government will also form a group to work on a new Minimum Support Price  (MSP) structure,  stated the Prime Minister. The Farm Laws Repeal Bill was passed by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on November 29, the first day of the winter session. President Ram Nath Kovind has also signed the bill repealing the three agriculture laws, bringing the process to a close. Farmers should halt their agitation and return home, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had earlier noted. 

The SKM postponed a planned tractor march to Parliament on November 29 and said it would wait until December 4 for the Union government to formally react to its requests, which it had laid out in an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Since November 26, 2020, farmers have been protesting against farm laws on Delhi's different boundaries.

(with inputs from ANI)

Image: PTI