While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the United States, anti farm laws leader Rakesh Tikait begged US President Joe Biden to join in the farmer’s protest and help to repeal the three farm laws put forward by the Indian government. He posted a tweet asking the US President to raise the matter of farm laws when he meets PM Modi. However, he seems to be unaware of the stated position of the USA in the matter.
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 These black laws should be repealed to save us.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
In his tweet to President Joe Biden, Rakesh Tikait begged said that they are protesting against 3 farm laws, and claimed that the protests have resulted in the death of 700 farmers. Asking for help to repeal the farm laws, he tweeted, “These black laws should be repealed to save us. Please focus on our concern while meeting PM Modi”.
However, it seems the so-called farmer leader is not aware of the stated position of the United States regarding the issues the farmers are raising concerning the farm laws. While they are demanding more incentives and benefits for the farmers, the US actually opposes any special benefit given to farmers. The US is against financial and other incentives, and protections, given to Indian farmers, saying it violates free trade agreements under the WTO.
In fact, the US government led by Jow Biden had backed the Indian farm laws and said that the reforms would improve market efficiency. The Biden administration had welcomed the farm laws and supported the Indian government’s aim to reform the agricultural sector. It had also rejected violence in the name of protests.
Above all, the US government fundamentally oppose everything that Rakesh Tikait and the farmers are demanding. For example, the US government’s opposition to the minimum support price (MSP) policy for foodgrain. India, in the past came under serious scrutiny when the US had alleged that India was under reporting the subsidy that it gives for the rice and wheat production.
Also, the farmers are demanding that MSP be granted legal status and made mandatory for the corporates. While farmers protest against the farm laws which they claim will remove the MSP policy, it is strange that Rakesh Tikait now wants President Biden to join his cause of defending the same policy.
Interestingly, while Canadian PM Justin Trudeau had extended support to the farmer protest, the Canadian government had also opposed the MSP regime in India at the WTO. Canada had also opposed PM-Kisan and even PM Fasal Bima Yojana, schemes designed to benefit farmers.
Earlier this year, Tikait also called for the demolition of the godowns owned by private companies if the Indian government does not repeal the farm laws.
