Build Agriculture Research Center In Parliament: Farmers' Leader Rakesh Tikait

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Rakesh Tikait called for the creation of an agricultural research centre on the premises of Parliament in order to decide crop rates.

The government is ignoring the Swaminathan report and argues that it is too much for the minimum support price (MSP) that is being demanded. ‘Why not set up an agricultural research centre on Parliament's grounds, cultivate crops there and determine their prices after harvesting on the basis of benefit and loss?’ The farmer's chief said.

With this protest from farmers, the BKU leader also said that political parties will now have to include farmers' welfare in all elections and will have to resolve farmers' problems.

Mr Tikait had previously warned the Centre that if the three recently passed farm laws are not abolished, farmers would march with 40 lakh tractors to Parliament.

‘Our next call is for a march to Parliament. Before marching, we'll tell them. It's not just 4 lakh tractors this time, but 40 lakh tractors are going to go there if farm laws are not taken down,’ said Mr. Tikait, speaking at a farmers' rally in Sikar, Rajasthan.

Mr Tikait also asked that a new law providing minimum support prices for farmers should be enforced. This comes weeks after the unrest during the farmers' tractor rally that broke out in the national capital on January 26.