Tikait claims full support of Mamata for farmers agitation

BKU leader Rakesh Tikait during a meeting with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Wednesday. (Image credit: ANI)

IPA Webdesk

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said after a meeting with Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat that the West Bengal chief minister has assured her full support for the ongoing protests against the Centre’s three controversial farm laws.

“We fear that the farm bills will deregulate the sale of farmers’ crops. Our fight is against the Centre’s attempt to dismantle the Minimum Support Price system. Mamata ji told us about her schemes for the farmers (Krishak Bandhu scheme) in West Bengal. We suggested to her that she should make Bengal a model state as far as farmers welfare is concerned. She also believes that the contentious three farm laws should be repealed,” Tikait said.

In 2018, Banerjee had launched the Krishak Bandhu scheme and a year later, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi was launched in 2019.

As per Trinamool Congress manifesto, released before the 2021 assembly Polls, the Krishak Bandhu scheme provides farmers with one or more acres of landholding an annual amount of Rs 10,000.

In December 2020, Banerjee spoke to the farmers’ leaders over phone and expressed her full support to them. She also sent her party leaders, including Derek O’Brien, to express solidarity with the farmers’ agitation.

With inputs from News18