EXCLUSIVE | Rakesh Tikait Raises New Slogan, 'MSP, Abhi Nahin Toh Kabhi Nahin'

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said, "The farmers aren't going anywhere. Instead, our numbers would increase from now on."

EXCLUSIVE | Rakesh Tikait Raises New Slogan, 'MSP, Abhi Nahin Toh Kabhi Nahin': File Image

New Delhi: Ever since the three agricultural laws have been repealed, the farmers have been demanding a law ensuring Minimum Support Price (MSP) to safeguard their interests. In this context, ABP Ganga held an exclusive interview with farmer leader Rakesh Tikait at Ghazipur border during which he said that the movement is going stronger than ever. Tikait also shared their new slogan 'MSP, now or never'.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said, "The farmers aren't going anywhere. Instead, our numbers would increase from now on. Security at borders is now being stepped up. The government may think that our protest is about to end. However, we are nowhere closer to ending our agitation. Those who returned home were people from Punjab and not the farmers."

He said, "The government should come to the table to talk. We have just completed the first anniversary of the farmers' protests. Some of the farmers have not even harvested their crops yet, so how could everything be accounted for so early? We are just getting ready for the battlefield now, more motivated than before and equipped with new slogans."

Tikait added, "The government is asking us for the number of people who have lost their lives during the protest. They should go to the respective police stations to get an exact count, instead of coming to us."

On being questioned whether he was invited by the Central Government to talk on MSP, Rakesh Tikait said, "We have not received any invitation from the government yet. Everything is in a state of confusion. The government needs to come to the table for negotiation. We do not have any detail on who would be the five people who would represent the farmers during negotiations with the government."

When the Prime Minister announced the withdrawal of the three agricultural laws, he also shared that a committee to discuss MSP is being constituted. A few days back, there were reports that the government had sought names of five people who would represent farmers during these talks.