NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, DEC 1
Despite the Centre repealing the controversial farm laws, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday said that farmers’ protest will not end as the Centre has not accepted the demands yet. Tikait, who is spearheading the protest at Delhi’s Ghazipur site, said that the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will meet on December 4 to chalk out future strategy.
Tikait made the statement a day after the government sought names of five representatives from the protesting farm unions for inclusion in a committee proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss farmers’ issues including MSP.
“A meeting of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) is scheduled to take place on December 4. Today’s meeting is between farmer organisations. Our agitation will not end as the government has not accepted our demands yet,” Tikait said.
Kulwant Singh Sandhu, general secretary of Jamhuri Kisan Sabha, on Monday said that a message has been received from the government regarding the names of five people to be included in the committee. He said that the SKM will meet on Wednesday to decide the names. He added that the farm laws have been repealed and if other demands like constituting a committee on MSP, withdrawal of FIRs against farmers and others are met, “the dharna by farmers will end”.
The SKM, the union of nearly 40 farmers’ groups spearheading the agitation, is expected to announce its future course of action on December 4.
Earlier on Monday, the Parliament passed a bill to repeal the farm laws. First the Lok Sabha and then the Rajya Sabha passed The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 by voice vote sans a debate amid heavy sloganeering by the opposition that wanted a discussion on the issue. In both the Houses, the Bill was passed within minutes of introduction by the government.
The three Bills that stand repealed now are: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020; Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill; and 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.
