Tikait steps up pressure; PM to state position in Rajya Sabha today

Tribune News Service

New Delhi/Bhiwani, Feb 7

A day before PM Narendra Modi is expected to articulate his government’s stand on the contentious farm laws in the Rajya Sabha, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday stepped up pressure on the government, declaring there would be no “ghar wapsi” till the farmers’ demands were met. He also demanded that the arrested farmers be set free forthwith.

Awaiting concrete proposal for talks: Govt

Union Minister Piyush Goyal said the govt was ready to resume talks with the farmers, but asserted that despite repeated proposals, the protesters “have not come up with any concrete suggestion so far”.

The PM is to reply to the Rajya Sabha debate on the motion thanking the President for his address to Parliament on Monday. He is expected to reach out to the farmers for talks and defend the new agri laws. Addresing a “mahapanchayat” at Charkhi Dadri in Haryana, Tikait claimed that all attempts to portray the protesters as anti-nationals had failed. He said the farmers stood united and that the Republic Day events were a part of a conspiracy. “We will not return home till our demands are met and all persons arrested for the Delhi violence released,” he said. Tikait lauded the khap panchayats and their leaders for strengthening the stir. He also praised Punjab BKU leader BS Rajewal for “providing a “sound leadership”.

Tikait warned that handing over the farm sector to the corporates would shoot up food prices. “We will not backtrack even if we have to pay a heavy price for it,” he declared. Union leader Darshal Pal Singh said Punjab and Haryana farmers had shown exemplary solidarity.