'Farmers care more for policy on MSP than PM's apology'

Lucknow: Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Monday accused the government of trying to divide farmers and said it should talk to them to resolve all their issues, or else "we are not going away".

Addressing a farmers' mahapanchayat here, Tikait asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give a clear answer on the demand for a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) that he had "backed" when he was the Gujarat chief minister. The farm leader dismissed the PM's televised speech as just sweet talk and stressed that they cared more about a policy for MSP than his apology. "The way in which the prime minister spoke, it was very sweet. His voice was sweeter than honey, Tikait said, adding that this made him sense danger.

Despite the climbdown by the government, farmer unions have said they will continue their agitation on other demands, including an MSP law and the dismissal of Union minister Ajay Mishra over last month's violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.

Members from the families of Lakhimpur victims attended the meeting called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farm unions.

"The government should talk to us, otherwise we are not going. The solution should be evolved through talks," the BKU leader said.

"They did the right thing by withdrawing the laws but tried to divide farmers by saying that they failed to make some people understand the laws. We are some people," Tikait said, referring to the PM's address to the nation.

He claimed that the PM sweet tone made him suspicious.

We want the country's prime minister to be strong, and not weak. But he should also resolve our issues. You should speak tough but at the same time, resolve our issues also," he said.

Urging people to join the farmers' movement, Tikait said, "They will entangle you all in Hindu-Muslim, Hindu-Sikh and Jinnah and will keep selling the country."

He claimed that as chief minister of Gujarat Modi was part of a committee that suggested to the then prime minister Manmohan Singh that a law guaranteeing MSP was required.

"The report of this committee is lying in the PMO. There is no new committee required nor has the country more time," Tikait said, referring to the government offer to set up a panel.

"Give a clear answer. The prime minister will have to give a clear answer before the country whether he will accept the suggestion of the committee he was a part of for an MSP guarantee law," he said.