Farmers' protests: Rakesh Tikait to meet Mamata Banerjee today as farmer leaders plan to intensify stir
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader will also congratulate Banerjee for her party Trinamool Congress' (TMC) win in West Bengal Assembly elections. He had visited Bengal before the elections and campaigned for TMC.
FollowFarmer leader Rakesh Tikait is expected to meet West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Wednesday. Tikait will discuss the strategy to further intensify the ongoing farmers' protest against the new central farm laws, news agency ANI reported.
"Rakesh Tikait will meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on June 9. He will congratulate her on the massive electoral victory. They will discuss the farmers' protest," ANI quoted sources as saying.
Tikait was quoted by ANI as saying, "We will talk about agriculture, health, education and the local farmers." Mamata has been outspoken in her opposition to the three farm laws passed by the Narendra Modi government last year. MPs of her Trinamool Congress had visited the farmers' protest site.
He further said, "The government should have open talks with the farmers of Bengal over policy. In UP, meetings are held every month with the DC. DMs and officers of every department come there. This policy should be implemented in all states."
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader will also congratulate Banerjee for her party Trinamool Congress' (TMC) win in West Bengal Assembly elections. He had visited Bengal before the elections and campaigned for TMC.
He visited Nandigram, from where Banerjee was pitted against her protege-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari, and urged the locals to ditch Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and vote for the TMC. Adhikari was the BJP candidate from Nandigram and defeated Banerjee.
Farmers, especially from Punjab, western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are protesting against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
The central government and the protesting farmers have held several rounds of talks to end the deadlock, however, the kisans have refused to budge from their demand of repealing the agri laws.
Earlier, Mamata Banerjee had announced her support to the farmers’ protest and some TMC leaders had also visited the agitation site.
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