60 farmers lost their lives during protest against new farm laws, claims BKU's Rakesh Tikait
Jan 04, 2021
New Delhi [India], January 4 : A total of 60 farmers have lost their lives during the ongoing farmers' protest against the new farm laws so far, claimed Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson, Rakesh Tikait on Monday.
He further said that one farmer is dying every 16 hours and it is the responsibility of the government to give an answer.
He made the statements ahead of the eighth-round of talks with the Central government over the issue. The meeting between the farmer unions and the Central government is scheduled to take place today afternoon.
So far, several rounds of talks have been held between the Central government and the unions.
Meanwhile, despite rains and the ongoing cold wave across North India, farmers agitating against the Centre's farm laws stood strong at the borders of the national capital and continued their protest.
Farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital for over a month 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.
They fear that the new farm laws would weaken the Minimum Support Price (MSP), Agricultural Produce Market Committee's (APMC) mandi systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates,
