Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait appeals to Joe Biden to raise new farm laws in meet with PM Modi

New Delhi, Sep 24: Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait has appealed to US President Joe Biden to "focus" on the controversial agrarian laws passed by the Centre, during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.

At least 700 farmers have lost their lives during the protests in the last 11 months, and these black laws must be replead, Tikait urged Biden.

"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 These black laws should be repealed to save us.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," Rakesh tweeted along with the tag #Biden_SpeakUp4Farmers.

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 These black laws should be repealed to save us.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

Tikait is the spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which is one of the farmer unions that has been seeking the removal of the three agri laws.

Meanwhile, the ongoing farmers'' protest against three contentious agriculture laws of the Centre completed 300 days on Wednesday.

Thousands of farmers led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha are camping at Delhi's borders since November 2020 demanding repeal of three farm laws.

However, the government, which has held 11 rounds of formal dialogue with the protestors, has maintained that the laws are pro-farmer and has offered to amend them.

PM Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House this evening.This will be the first in-person meeting between the two leaders after Biden took over as the US President on January 20.