“Without MSP farmers of the whole country will face problems”: Rakesh Tikait urges for a legal guarantee on MSP amidst ongoing farmers' protest

Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday stated that without a legal guarantee on the minimum stock price (MSP) on produce, farmers of the whole county would face problems. He added that talks between farmers unions across the country are underway and their next course of action would be decided after the Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s meeting on Thursday.

"The key issues of the farmers are MSP guarantee, the electricity amendment bill and the implementation of Swaminathan committee report. If there is no guarantee on MSP, farmers of the whole country will face problems,” said Tikait from a protest demonstration in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Rakesh Tikait, who had spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers protest also stated that whoever buys farmer’s produce, be it the government or the private companies, the farmer should be entitled to the minimum stock price. "We are protesting in front of DM office over issues such as MSP guarantee law and others. We will decide our future course of action in SKM's meeting tomorrow,” he added.

Earlier today, the Union Minister Arjun Munda invited the leaders of the protesting farmers’ unions for a fifth round of talks to settle the MSP debate amidst the resumption of the Delhi Chalo agitation. “After the fourth round, the government is ready to discuss all the issues like MSP demand, crop diversification, stubble issue, FIR in the fifth round. I again invite the farmer leaders for discussion. It is important for us to maintain peace,” said the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare.

The farmers resumed their Delhi Chalo protest march on Wednesday after the fourth round of talks between the Central Government and the protesting farmers fell through. They were met with severe resistance at the Sambhu border, with the forces resorting to deploy tear gas shells and detaining protestors.