In line with Rahul Gandhi’s “hum do, hamare do” dig at Narendra Modi-led central government, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Monday alleged all the three farm laws have not been brought in for the farmers, but for PM’s capitalist friends.
Addressing farmers at Kisan Mahapanchayat in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi said, “His capitalist friends run media in this country. The elections are also run with the help of the same capitalist friends. The whole country has been given away to these capitalist friends.”
Dissecting the three contentious farm laws, the UP Congress in-charge said the first law gives free hand to the corporates to buy and stock up as much agriculture products resulting in their price rise; the second law is designed to crush the existing APMC mandis — once private mandis take over the market; while the third law facilitating contract farming is instrumental in subjecting the farmers to exploitation by the corporates.
She said the PM can travel the world, but cannot come and meet the farmers who are just a few kilometres away from his residence. “Three lakh farmers, camping few kilometres away from his residence, just want him to come and talk to them. But, he does not have time for them,” she said, raising the demand for repeal of the agriculture laws.
Vowing to stand by the farmers in their fight for their rights, Gandhi said, “I am with you, Rahul Gandhi is with you. Each and every Congress worker is with you. I have faith in you that you will keep on fighting for your rights.”
She said the Narendra Modi government failed to fulfil the tall promises BJP made while campaigning for elections. “Modiji promised to double your income, to implement policies which will bring prosperity to farmers. But nothing of that sort happened under his regime,” she said.
Addressing the sugarcane farmers in UP, she claimed their due with the government has now reached Rs 10,000 crore. “If we add up the dues of sugarcane farmers across India, a total of Rs 15,000 crore is outstanding.” She said the Prime Minister of this country cannot pay the due of the farmers, but can buy two airplanes, worth Rs 16,000 crore, to travel across the globe.
On Thursday, congress leader Rahul Gandhi had hit out at the Central government over the contentious farm laws in the Lok Sabha, and alleged the laws are intended to “finish the farmers, small, medium businessmen and the mandis”, and that the country is now being run by four people with the motto “Hum do, hamare do”.
