Our correspondent

Fatehgarh Sahib, January 1

Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Rakesh Tikait today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce a loan waiver for farmers just as he repealed farm laws during his scheduled visit to Punjab on January 5 .

Will lose members if unions win the ballot

If they (the farmers’ groups) win the elections, their membership in the apolitical SKM will automatically cease and if they lose, they will be weakened. Rakesh Tikait, SKM leader

Interacting with Dera Hansali’s media here, Tikait said the prime minister should start with the agricultural state of Punjab not only as a gesture of goodwill, but also to improve the plight of struggling farmers facing heavy debts.

Tikait, accompanied by BKU (Lakhowal) President Harinder Singh Lakhowal and his supporters, was there to greet the farmers’ victory.

Responding to a question, he said no progress had been made so far on the decision between the government and SKM on forming an MSP committee. He specified that the heads of farmers who would run for office would not be part of this committee. The PM should implement the decisions as soon as possible.

He urged the prime minister to release all prisoners who had served their prison terms but were still languishing in jails.

When asked if the SKM would protest the prime minister’s visit to the Punjab, he said it would be symbolic to draw his attention to the farmers’ demands.

On whether or not the farmer groups who decided to run for office will remain members of the SKM, Tikait said the decision will be made at a meeting. “If they (the groups of farmers) win the elections, their membership in our apolitical morcha will automatically cease and if they lose, they will be weakened,” he added.