Rakesh Tikait to 'strengthen Opposition' post meet with Mamata; will go to other CMs

A day after meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said he discussed the weakness of the present Opposition in the country which has compelled the protesting farmers to hit the streets and stage protests.

"We (farmers) are sitting on streets, had the Opposition been strong we need not have done that. The Opposition should be strong," the BKU leader told Mamata Banerjee, as reported by ANI adding that Tikait will meet the Chief Ministers of other states as well to bolster his agitation against the farm laws.

Rakesh Tikait demands law on MSP 

"There should be a guaranteed law on MSP. Who will take the guarantee of purchase ahead? BJP people are trained in Sangh to just put forwards their points and never listen to others. We are not satisfied. You have raised the MSP but who will purchase this?", Tikait said even as the Union Government has offered to give a written assurance that the MSP mechanism will continue even after the implementation of farm laws. Moreover, the Union Government has increased the MSP on various crops and also made record procurement on the same.

"We are protesting for the past seven months to convey one point but they (Centre) are no understanding. Talks won't happen on any condition. It's just 7 months for our movement and it's not that big a time but a solution will definitely come by 2022," he said.

Rakesh Tikait meets Mamata Banerjee

Rakesh Tikait, who has been at the helm of the farmers' protest against the three farm laws, had travelled to Kolkata to meet CM Mamata Banerjee. The West Bengal CM extended her support for the agitation against the new farm laws passed in the parliament in 2020. She has called for the states with non-BJP governments to form a union of state governments so as to counter the Centre.

Extending her support to the farmers' protest, Mamata Banerjee also demanded that the farm laws be withdrawn. She alleged that the "Industries are suffering and GST is being levied on medicines. For the last seven months, they (the central government) didn't bother to speak to farmers." Following this, Banerjee also said she would ask the CMs of non-BJP-ruled states to write to the PM to withdraw the farm laws, and also subsequently called for the establishment of a 'Union of State Governments' that would rally together in case one of them was facing pressure from the Centre. She also made a statement to the effect of Opposition parties benefiting from the farmer protests in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

When asked whether he took permission from the Centre to meet Banerjee, Tikait replied, "I met CM and not a party chief. Did I meet the Afghanistan president, for which I had to take the permission of the central government? Does it require a visa to meet a CM?" "We will meet all CMs over state policies. Uttarakhand has BJP government and Punjab has Congress government...we will meet them too. We have met Arvind Kejriwal," he informed.

Rakesh Tikait's U-Turns

Rakesh Tikait had favoured the farm laws prior to their passage in both houses of the parliament. Leaving aside his U-Turn on the farm laws, Rakesh Tikait on multiple occasions had categorically stated that the farmer's agitation is a completely apolitical movement and that the protestors will continue the agitation without the support of opposition parties. However, Rakesh Tikait's meeting with Mamata Banerjee comes as a contradiction to previous claims, just as his meeting with the Trinamool chief before the West Bengal elections had been.

Moreover, Rakesh Tikait has on multiple occasions blamed the Central Government for not holding discussions with the protesting farmers over the farm laws. However, the Centre has agreed to a clause-by-clause discussion on farm laws, but the protesting unions have categorically stated that any further discussion if happens, should be only to discuss the repeal of farm laws. The protesting unions have also disregarded the Supreme Court-appointed Panel's proposition to come to the table for discussion.

Opposition parties U-Turn on farm laws

Opposition parties including Congress had favoured the farm laws prior to their passage in the parliament. Congress had also mentioned the farm laws in their election manifesto. Punjab CM and senior Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh was a part of the Central Committee which discussed and framed the clause of the farm bills, leading to their passage in the Parliament.

Delhi Government which is eying the Punjab Assembly elections is also supporting the farmers' agitation, however, the Delhi Government has issued a notification implementing a part of the farm laws in the national capital.

(With ANI inputs)