Accept farmers' demands as New Year gift: Cong to Centre

New Delhi: Hitting out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for "only aiding corporate interests", the Congress on Wednesday sought a swift resolution to the farmers' protests and repealing of three farm laws enacted in September. Congress has also asked the government to accept the demands of the farmers as a New Year gift to them.

"The central government has met the farm leaders several times now. It has called the farmers again today, but how will they proceed when the government refuses to compromise," said Congress leader Kumari Selja. She added that the government should support the farmers and listen to their demands by repealing the three laws.

At a joint press conference, Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja and her Uttarakhand counterpart Pritam Singh said that the government should not stand on prestige.

"2020 has not been a good year whether for the economy or the corona pandemic or our annadataas and workers. This government has an opportunity to make a new beginning in the New Year," Selja told reporters at a Press conference.

Selja claimed that instead of helping the farmers, the new laws may end up burdening the farmers with taxations as it seeks to regulate through corporatisation. Slamming Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal, the Congress leader said that Haryana has seen the deaths of more than 10 farmers and protests across the State.

"Being from a predominantly agricultural state, the Chief Minister should have led a delegation to the Prime Minister as people in high position may not be aware of ground realities," she said.

Questioning the government's claim of working for the welfare of farmers, Singh alleged fraudulent practices in identifying some of the beneficiaries of PM-KISAN — a scheme to transfer Rs 6,000 annually to farmers — in Uttarakhand.

He said that since the new farm laws allow private mandis for procurement, the government-run mandis will be forced to close down over a period of time. Claiming that farmers from his state also have been protesting at the Singhu border for the past 35 days, he said, "The government should now accept their demands and allow them to go back to their homes."