Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, also the party’s and vice-president, attacked the Narendra Modi government for its ‘anti-farmer’ policies, while they addressed the much-awaited mega farmers’ rally at the Ramlila Grounds in the national Capital on Sunday.
Sonia said the Prime Minister, who claimed to be pro-farmers before the elections, has now abandoned them. “The Prime Minister who loudly said ‘Sabka saath sabka vikas’ has totally abandoned the poor – the farmers and the labourers. What has happened in the last 11 months? Farmers’ situation is serious.”
She accused the Modi government of adding insult to the injury of farmers by bringing in the land ordinance. Promising to fight for farmers’ cause without making a compromise, she said, “The Modi government’s attitude is totally against the farmers, helpless and poor. We have got a new energy here and we will fight for the poor and the weak. We will not allow those forces to succeed, who want to destroy the legacy of our freedom. We will fight without any fear against such forces. We might be out of power, but we will not allow any leniency in our efforts in this direction,” the Congress president said.
“Through the rail and general Budget, the price of fertiliser has been increased, which made farmers getting trapped in debt. There is such a gap between what this government says and does,” Sonia said as she accused the Modi government of misleading people.
Thanking farmers for their contribution to the nation, she said the large gathering had resolved the party’s mission to fight for the farmers. “We have come together today to tell the Modi government that it is enough. We won’t let farmers be ignored,” she said in a reference to the BJP’s Land Ordinance. “We are here to send a message to the Modi government that enough is enough,” she added.
Talking about the land compensation being offered by the Centre to farmers, she said that it was rubbing salt to their wounds.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the new government had brought the Land Bill to hurt the interests of farmers. He alleged that Modi had “sold dreams” to farmers and the youth to win the Lok Sabha polls.