Rakesh Tikait hints at another farmers' agitation for MSP

Vijayawada: Bharat Kisan Union (BKU) president and the prominent national farmers' leader Rakesh Tikait has stressed upon the need for launching nation-wide agitation for minimum support price and to protect the lands of farmers.

He lamented that farmers were struggling to get the support price for their produce even though assurances were given by the governments. He alleged the big corporate groups were eyeing the lands of farmers. He said the local markets gradually vanished in Bihar due to the entry of corporate giants and similar situation may prevail in the country.

Tikait expressed apprehension that corporate groups may gradually take away the lands of farmers.

He addressed the farmers (Rythu Garjana) conducted by the Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sanghala Samanvaya Samithi at Dasari Bhavan, the CPI State office in Vijayawada on Sunday. Former minister and farmers' leader Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao presided over the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, Tikait alleged that the Union government was not implementing Swaminathan recommendations and farmers were struggling to get the support price for their produce. He said the farmers have to launch another agitation to get MSP and they were already preparing for Maha Dharna in New Delhi next month. He has asked the farmers of Andhra Pradesh to join the protest.

He alleged that the Union government was planning to do away with the diesel tractors in the country in a phased manner. He said farmers in Jammu and Kashmir suffered loss to the tune of several hundred crore rupees due to blockade of vehicles on the national highways.

He pointed out that the production of spices and coconuts was very high in South India and the farmers were not getting remunerative price for their produce.

Tikait along with former justice of Supreme Court Gopal Goud released a book written by Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao on the pro-corporate policies of PM Modi government. Retired judge Gopal Goud has alleged that the Modi government was doing nothing for the welfare of farmers and it was only implementing pro-corporate policies.

He has appealed to the farmers to make the Chalo Delhi programme on March 25 a grand success. Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham national secretary B Venkat, Uttar Pradesh farmers' leader Raj Veer Singh, Andhra Pradesh Rytu Sangham State vice-president P Madhu, noted director and writer K Narayana Murthy and others spoke on the occasion. Andhra Pradesh Farmers' Association general secretary KVV Prasad, farmers associations' leaders Alla Gopala Krishna Rao, Y Kesava Rao and others attended the meeting.