Won't allow biz over hunger; need law on MSP: Rakesh Tikait

Farmer leer Rakesh Tikait said business over hunger will t be allowed in country and once again demanded a law on minimum support price (MSP) for crops along with repeal of new contentious agri-marketing laws.

Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson's comments came soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dress in Rajya Sabha during which he assured "MSP was re. MSP is re. MSP will remain in future".

"Desh mein bhook pe vyaapaar nahi hoga. Bhook kitni lgi anaaj ki keemat utni hogi. Desh mein bhook se vyaapaar karne walon ko baahar nikaala jaaega (re will t be business over hunger in country. If hunger goes up, price of crops will be decided accordingly. Those wanting business over hunger will be driven out of country)," he told reporters.

" way rates of a flight ticket fluctuate three to four times a day, price of crops will t be decided same way," Tikait said.

On PM's remark about emergence of a "new community" which is "engd in protests", Tikait said, "Yes, this time it is farmers' community which has emerged and people are also supporting farmers".

He said what farmers protesting against new laws have highlighted is that re is law on MSP, because of which trers loot m by buying crops at lower prices.

He also slammed attempts to divide ongoing movement of farmers on caste and religious lines.

"This movement was first portrayed as Punjab's issue, n Sikhs' n Jats, so on and so forth. farmers of country are united. re is small farmer or big farmer. movement belongs to all farmers," he said.

Earlier in day, Modi in his response to Motion of Thanks on President's dress in Rajya Sabha, said, "MSP was re. MSP is re. MSP will remain in future. Affordable ration for poor will continue. Mandis will be modernised".  Reacting to PM's speech, ar farmer leer Abhimanyu Kohar, who is also member of Samkyukta Kisan Morcha, said that government has alrey said "hundreds of times" that MSP will t go anywhere and it will remain.

"If government is claiming that MSP will remain, why doesn't it provide a legal guarantee on minimum support price for our crops," Kohar told PTI.

Asked about PM's invitation to farmer unions for talks, he said that protesting farmer unions are rey to hold talks with government, but it should come through formal channels.

"Any issue can be resolved through proper dialogue. We are rey in-principle to resume talks," farmer leer.

Sukhdev Singh, Punjab general secretary of BKU Ekta Ugrahan, sought to kw why government is t ensuring a legal guarantee on MSP for crops, ding that it is trying to divert issue.