Repeal of farm laws: Tikait reaches out to US President via tweet

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait kicked up a storm on Twitter on Friday (September 24) when he tagged @POTUS, the Twitter handle of the US president, by seeking a solution to the vexed issue of three farm laws passed by the Modi government.

Tikait tweeted: “Dear @POTUS, we the Indian Farmers are protesting against 3 farm laws brought by PM Modi’s govt. 700 farmers have died in the last 11 months protesting. These black laws should be repealed to save us. Please focus on our concern while meeting PM Modi.”

The tweet, which had the hashtag “Biden_SpeakUp4Farmers”, has been trending since then.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the US at present. The tweet comes hours before an all-important meeting between the heads of the US and India.

Dear @POTUS, we the Indian Farmers are protesting against 3 farm laws brought by PM Modi's govt. 700 farmers have died in the last 11 months protesting. These black laws should be repealed to save us. Please focus on our concern while meeting PM Modi. #Biden_SpeakUp4Farmers

— Rakesh Tikait (@RakeshTikaitBKU) September 24, 2021

The farmers’ protest against the three central farm laws recently completed a year. Thousands from Punjab and Haryana have been camping on Delhi borders since September 2020, demanding a repeal of the laws.

Farmers fear the laws are meant to make them bend in front of corporates, who will exploit the legal licence to decide market prices of crops and prevent the government from providing any support. The Centre, on its part, argues that reforms, as envisaged by them, would liberate farm trade, bring in more investment in the agri sector and help farmers earn more.

Also read: Farmers’ protest: Rakesh Tikait takes a dig at PM

Kavitha Kuruganti, an member of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, told Hindustan Times: “International support for a movement this large rests on mobilising support at all levels. I personally think there is nothing wrong (in Tikait’s tweet).”