Bijnor, Feb 15 (IANS) Congress National General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, while addressing a ‘Kisan Panchayat’ in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district on Monday, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi can visit America, China and Pakistan but cannot meet the farmers sitting in New Delhi.
Priyanka launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and asked whether farmers’ income had doubled under the Modi government.
The Congress leader said Modi made fun of the farmers and called them ‘Andolanjeevi’ (protesters) and parasites. Modi ji did not recognize the difference between patriots and traitors. Modi can visit America, China and Pakistan but cannot meet the farmers sitting in Delhi.
Priyanka lambasted Modi over the new Union farm laws in her speech that lasted for nearly half-an-hour.
Talking to farmers, she said why did the general public elect Modi twice as the Prime Minister. Priyanka said people must have believed that Modi would work for you (people). The first time when Modi came to power, many big things were promised.
Priyanka Gandhi charged “Sugarcane price has not increased in Uttar Pradesh since 2017. Modi has not paid the dues of farmers, but has bought an airplane for himself worth Rs 16,000 crore. The Modi government has implemented new laws which would lead to hoarding by big industrialists.”
Addressing the farmers in Chandpur at Bijnor, the Congress General Secretary said, “All the three Union farm laws have been implemented for billionaires and not for the farmers. The farmers have been sitting at the Delhi borders in the chilling cold for the last 80 days and are also facing the scorching heat but Prime mInister Modi is not ready to repeal the farm laws. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the people reposed their faith in Modi but he broke their trust. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Modi had promised employment but the people have not yet been provided jobs.”
Priyanka said when the farmers are against the three farm laws, then why is the Centre not withdrawing these laws. India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had enacted a law against hoarding but now such a practice has started again. There is no restriction placed on hoarding.
She said, “The first (farm) law will increase hoarding. The second law will fill the coffers of big industrialists. The government mandis will be closed. Private mandis will get encouraged. This will end the Minimum Support Price (MSP). With the third law, under the contract the industrialists will buy the produce of the farmers. Later the contractors will not buy your (farmers) sugarcane. After which the farmers will become helpless. All the three farm laws are made for the industrialists.”
Meanwhile, on Priyanka’s visit, Rakesh Tikait, National Spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), said the farmers can’t stop any political leader from joining panchayats in the state.
The farmers are protesting against the new Union farm laws at the borders of the national capital, while leaders of opposition parties are also pressuring the Centre on the farm laws.
However, on Priyanka Gandhi joining the ‘Kisan panchayats’, Rakesh Tikait said,”If she is going to the panchayat then who are we to stop them, everyone should hold panchayats. Priyanka is sitting in Delhi, so what can she do here only? She must visit the village.”
Asked about farmers refusing political intervention in the ‘mahapanchayats’, Tikait said, “We are not conducting mahapanchayats. The (political leaders) must be holding their own panchayats, not our farmers unions.”
Asked if during the mahapanchayat that is taking place, are there no farmers present, Tikait said,”If someone is attending the ‘mahapanchayats’ and taking the name of the panchayat, then there is no ban on the word ‘panchayat’, everybody should hold them.”
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