WILL NOT REST TILL FARM LAWS SCRAPPED: TIKAIT ON HIS BIRTHDAY
New Delhi: Rakesh Tikait, leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, a key farm organisation behind the ongoing farmers’ agitation, marked his birthday on Friday with a vow to not rest until the three agricultural laws at the heart of protests were scrapped, and predicted the legislation would be gone by 2024.
“The government will definitely agree [to scrap the laws]. The laws will be withdrawn by 2024. It’s certain. In three years, the laws will go,” he said.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance’s current term ends in 2024, when it will face the next Lok Sabha election.
Asked what made him so confident since the government has said it was willing to suspend the laws for 18 months, not repeal them, Tikait said: “Why will they not withdraw it? What do you mean by ‘no, it looks impossible’?” The farm leader however, did not clearly state the reasons behind his assertion.
Asked if he had discussions with the government on rescinding the laws, he said: “No, we have talked to the public. The public will decide and the laws will go. The government will have to withdraw them.”tikait said he spoke to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath recently over the phone. “Yes, I talked to him over phone. No meeting. In UP, there are arrears of ₹23,000 crore payable to sugarcane farmers,” Tikait said.