Farm laws repeal: Agitation will continue, says Rakesh Tikait

PALGHAR: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement repealing three farm laws, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh

Tikait

on Friday said the farmers' agitation has not ended.

"Agitation isn't ending. Who told you that the agitation is ending? It'll continue," said Tikait.

"They've just taken laws back, they should go to Parliament and make this legal. We have

Samyukt Morcha

9-member committee meeting today. Everything will be decided there. If the

government

wants to put forth their side, they should do it there," he added.

Further, the BKU leader said that there are many issues pending like the cases against farmers and electricity bills which have to be resolved before the agitation is ended.

"MSP Guarantee Act is an issue too. Committee will be formed which will have the member of BKU that will talk to Government over other issues, we can't keep agitating on all the issues," said Tikait.

Earlier, talking to ANI, Tikait had said, "This decision also seems to be an election gimmick, given the manner in which the graph of Centre is going down and their image is getting affected. They are working under the pressure of the companies, only to benefit them."

In a major move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced the repeal of the three Central farm laws.

Farmers have been protesting against the government's three farm laws since they were passed by the Centre in 2020.

The three farm laws are-- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act provides for setting up a mechanism allowing the farmers to sell their farm produces outside the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs). Any licence-holder trader can buy the produce from the farmers at mutually agreed prices. This trade of farm produces will be free of mandi tax imposed by the state governments.

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act allows farmers to do contract farming and market their produces freely.

The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act is an amendment to the existing Essential Commodities Act.