Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday slammed the government for alleging that the farmers' protests are muddled with an international conspiracy, demanding a complete repeal of the contentious farm laws.
Commenting on the remark, Tikait said, "What international conspiracy? What defamation? If farmers are asking for the right price for their produce, is it defaming India? If there was a law on MSP, farmers would get the right price. The real conspiracy is the absence of MSP."
In an interview with NDTV, Tikait said, "What is the problem in taking back the laws? When they weren't brought with the farmers' consent, he doesn't want the laws, why bring them in the first place?"
"We are just protesting. Are we doing anything else? We have nothing to do with politics. We have never told anyone who they should vote for. Farmers have to pay the highest rate of interest, 350 per cent. Rs 10,000 per night for a loan of Rs 1 lakh. Who do we go to with these problems?" the farmer leader said.
Tikait is leading the agitating farmers for a 'chakka jam' on February 6 between 12 pm and 3 pm across the country barring New Delhi and certain areas in Uttar Pradesh.
While sharing details of the February 6 protest, Tikait had also taken a veiled jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the fortification of protest sites at Ghazipur, Tikri and Singhu.
On the proposed 'chakka jam', he said, “There will be a three-hour blockade on roads. It won't happen in Delhi but other parts of the country. The vehicles which will come and stop will be given water and food. Items like 'chana' and peanuts will also be distributed to these people and we will apprise them of what the government is doing with us.”
On further talks between the farmers and the government to break the impasse, Tikait said that decision will be taken by the committee of the farmers' unions.
Delhi Police have upped security at border protest sites with around 50,000 personnel from the police, Paramilitary and Reserve Forces deployed.
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