EXCLUSIVE: Rakesh Tikait exudes confidence about repeal of new farm laws

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait has claimed that the three farm laws will be withdrawn by the Centre in the Parliament as the farmers' movement is purely running under the ideological revolution.

Hyderabad: In an exclusive interaction with ETV Bharat, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait claimed that the people will see the three farm laws being repealed by the BJP-led Central government in the Parliament as the farmers' movement is not under anyone's influence but is purely running under the ideological revolution. He said that the entire nation has joined the farmers' agitation on the ideology of the revolution. This is also a fight for the freedom of the farmers. The movement will continue in full swing under one ideology, he added.

"India is connected with the ideological revolution and the revolution created by thoughts brings changes," he claimed. On being asked about with what expectation farmers are staging a protest at Jantar Mantar, the Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson said that the farmers just hope for a democratic system. Terming the government as 'shameless', he accused the Centre of not listening to the cries of the protesting farmers.

Read:|Farmers' agitation to remain apolitical; won't contest UP elections: Rakesh Tikait

The farmer leader also said that the protest will continue as farmers were neither weak nor are they nor will they be weakened. "Even after eight months, the farmers' movement has not weakened. We will go across the country to spread the word in public," he said. Accusing the Central government of 'lying to farmers', Tikait said that the Rs one lakh crore fund is just a trap as the money will only strengthen the private mandis. He also demanded a probe on the traders selling their goods in the name of farmers and not purchasing crops on MSP.

Talking about the January 26 Delhi violence, he said that the farmers' unions have already appealed for a centralised probe into the matter as the violence was not a planned one and nothing was done intentionally.

Read:|Farmers' protest on July 22 outside Parliament will be peaceful, says Rakesh Tikait

"Our movement was joined by 25 lakh people. What can we individually do before a huge crowd? The government had instigated the masses that is why we are demanding a probe into the matter," he said. Talking about his next step in the direction of withdrawal of the farm laws, Tikait informed, "We want that the law to be repealed at the earliest. We will not allow the Parliament to be run by private companies. The agitation will not end until the withdrawal of new agricultural laws. We also seek the Guarantee Act on MSP and also a committee that includes government officials and farmers."

On being asked if he or the Bhartiya Kisan Union preparing to enter the electoral fray, he clarified that neither Bharatiya Kisan Union nor he will contest elections. When asked why is he against the BJP government over farmers issues, he said, "The current government was the opposition party earlier and it claimed to fix the issues now they have turned their back. After coming into power they forgot their promises. This government has to quit."

He also informed that the farmers association wrote to the Centre to have a negotiation but the government denied to repeal the three laws. "We have written a letter to the government and asked it to negotiate with us but it said that the laws will not be repealed, apart from it whatever talks we want we can hold with it. We have cleared that we would not hold talks under any conditions," he added.

Read:|Listen to farmers or face war, Tikait warns Govt