BKU leader Rakesh Tikait says no agenda for bypoll, he is in Himachal to support farmers

Tribune News Service

Solan, August 28

Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Saturday said he had no agenda for the upcoming bypoll in Himachal and was visiting the state only to ensure that big corporates did not loot apple growers of the state.

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Tikait was interacting with media at Solan where he met apple growers.

Tikait, who is on a day’s visit to Shimla, said an agitation would be initiated, if need be, against the corporates for offering abysmally low rates to apple growers.

Tikait asked the agrarian community to unite against the big corporates, who, he said, were sitting at their doorstep and were all set to rob apple growers.

While commenting on the ongoing agitation against the farm bills, Tikait said they would continue the protest till farmers “got independence from these laws”.

The BKU leader said it was lamentable that 18 ministries looked after agrarian products and there was no single ministry to deal with agriculture.

Tikait said that Himachal being a hill state the farmers should get transport subsidy, hill allowance and agri-based industries. Units for bulk procurement of agrarian produce should be set up here to ensure remunerative payment to the farmers, he added.

He said he would visit areas where hailstorm had caused losses to the farmers.

A minor protest was also registered by locals while he was leaving for Shimla as people told his supporters not to raise slogans.

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