New Delhi: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday issued an ultimatum to the Union government to bring a law to guarantee Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.


Talking to reporters, the BKU spokesperson said: “For those (of us) who couldn’t be convinced, declare us as terrorists and put us in jail”.


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In a strongly-worded statement, Rakesh Tikait issued an ultimatum to Centre saying: “Woh apne dimaag theek kar len Bharat Sarkar. Jo gundagardi karna chahte hain unki gundagardi nahi chalegi. (Indian government needs to sort out its head. Those who want to indulge in hooliganism, their hooliganism won’t work)”.


“Bohot jhel liya kisan ne ek saal, apne dimaag theek karke MSP par guarantee kanoon bana den. Nahin toh hum wahin ke wahin hain. (We have tolerated a lot. Sort out your head and make a law guaranteeing MSP. Otherwise, we are right here),” he added.


Rakesh Tikait also hinted at another 26 January tractor rally over the demand, saying: “26 January koi door nahi hai phir. Ye 26 january bhi yahin hai aur ye desh ka 4 lakh tractor bhi yahin hai aur ye desh ka kisaan bhi yahin hai. Dimaag theek karke baat kar len. (26 january is not too far away. 26 January is here, 4 lakh tractors are here and this country's farmers are also right here. They (Centre) need to sort out their heads and speak)”.






The 26 January tractor rally this year had taken an untoward turn as visuals of clashes and a Nihang flag being hoisted at the Red fort shocked the nation, coming as a setback to the farmers’ agitation.


Rakesh Tikait’s statements come after he participated in the ‘kisan mahapanchayat’ at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan under the Samyukta Shetkari Kamgar Morcha (SSKM) banner.


He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a supporter of the MSP when he was the chief minister of Gujarat and wanted a nationwide law to ensure farmers’ interests were guaranteed.


He accused the Union government of running away from a debate over the issue.


“The Centre should bring a law to guarantee MSP to farmers. There are several issues related to the agriculture and labour sectors that need attention and we will travel all over the country to highlight them,” he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.


Rakesh Tikait also demanded that financial aid be given to the kin of farmers who died in the year-long protest against the contentious agrarian laws.


Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the government’s decision to repeal the three farm laws, which were at the centre of protests by farmers.


Apart from the repeal of farm laws, a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) has been one of the major demands of the farmers.


(With Inputs From Agencies)