Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait arrived in Patna on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, and launched a sharp attack on the Bihar government over its proposed land acquisition for satellite city projects, demanding that farmers receive compensation reflecting current market values rather than outdated 2013 circle rates. The remarks were made at a press conference held at the residence of Member of Parliament Sudhakar Singh.

The Core Demand: Fair Compensation at Market Rates

Tikait made clear that farmers are not opposed to development — including the construction of cities and hospitals — but will not accept valuations frozen more than a decade ago. He argued that land prices, like those of gold and other assets, have risen significantly since 2013, and that applying those outdated rates amounts to forcing farmers to subsidise urban expansion at their own expense.

'If the government insists on using 2013 rates for land acquisition,' Tikait said, 'then the prices of all other commodities should also be rolled back to their 2013 levels.' The rhetorical challenge was aimed squarely at the Bihar administration, which farmers allege is preparing to invoke old circle rates for the satellite city projects.

Key Allegations Against the Bihar Government

Tikait alleged that new land-acquisition formulas are being quietly introduced under the banner of development, with farmers bearing a disproportionate burden when their land is taken up for large infrastructure and urban-development projects. He demanded that the government first revise applicable circle rates and put in place a transparent framework for fair compensation before any acquisition proceeds.

He did not name any individual government official but criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the party appoints chief ministers who operate primarily at the direction of its central leadership — a comment made without reference to a specific individual.

Invoking Champaran: The Historical Context

Tikait invoked Mahatma Gandhi's historic Champaran movement in Bihar, drawing a direct line between that century-old farmers' agitation and the present dispute over land rights and compensation. The reference was a deliberate appeal to Bihar's deep agrarian identity and the state's historical association with farmers' resistance.

This comes amid a broader national conversation about whether India's land-acquisition framework — despite the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 — adequately protects small and marginal farmers when their land is acquired for urban and infrastructure projects.

Planned Agitation and October Programme

Tikait announced plans for farmers' gatherings in Nawada and Khagaria, appealing to farmers, youth, and members of the public to unite over land and agrarian rights. The BKU's announced October programme includes a farmers' rally in Khagaria on 8 October.

He also expressed solidarity with the opposition's ongoing agitation over allegations of vote theft in Delhi, calling on political parties and civil society groups to converge on the issue. He reiterated that the BKU's campaign over land acquisition and compensation would continue until the Bihar government offers a credible response.