Farmers Movement Archive

Bihar assembly elections: Sonia Gandhi compares NDA govt to Britishers

PATNA: Congress president Sonia Gandhi in her first address to the party workers in poll-bound Bihar on Friday compared the NDA government with the Britishers saying just as they exploited the indigo farmers of Champaran, the current government is harassing the farmers and working for a selected few. “The three farm laws have been formulated by the Centre to benefit a few and harass the farmers. In this situation, the Jai Jawan-Jai Kisan slogan given by Lal Bahadur Shastri is more inspiring than ever before,” Sonia said paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary. She was addressing a gathering of party leaders and workers as part of the ‘Gandhi Chetna’ rally to mark the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Sonia also honoured the families of 151 freedom fighters who took part in the Champaran Satyagrah and remotely unveiled a statue of the Father of the Nation at its district office in Banjaria Pandal in East Champaran. In her speech broadcast via a video link, she asked people of Bihar to come together against the NDA government, which she said was playing with emotions and creating an atmosphere of fear and distrust. Sonia said for Mahatma Gandhi, development meant progress of the poorest of the poor and he followed the path of non-violence, which Congress has adopted. She recalled the Champaran movement started by Gandhi for indigo farmers and said her party will continue its resistance against the three laws formulated by the NDA government and called them anti-farmer. She raised the issue of unemployment, privatization of public sectors and closure of cottage and small scale industries. “They (NDA) used to make fun of MGNREGA and even opposed it when it was formed. But during Covid-19 pandemic, it was MGNREGA which helped crores of people earn their livelihood. Look how the Modi government has weakened the historic RTI law formed by the UPA government,” she said. She added, “They are running the government with the use of fear and emotion. But it is enough now and it’s up to you to take the right decision. We have to come together and fight, and this will be the right way of paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi.” Bihar Congress in-charge Shaktisinh Gihil, who was addressing this virtual rally from Patna raised the issue of Hathras gang rape and called Yogi Adityanath’s governance as ‘jungle raj’. Gohil raised questions on carrying out the final rituals in mid-night, which is not done in Hindu religion and that too in the absence of the victim’s family. “We need a government in Bihar that will serve the people. BJP is creating trouble for every individual. And I am sure Congress and its alliances will form a government here with people’s blessings.” Dalit leader slams Hathras incident: All India Congress Committee national chairman for SC/ST organization, Udit Raj raised the issue of Hathras gang rape. In a press conference held at Sadaqat Ashram on Friday, Udit called BJP anti-Dalit. “The way Bhagat Singh’s body was not handed over to his family, similarly, rape victim’s body was not given to her family by the BJP government,” he said. Several people belonging to the Dalit community joined the Congress in his presence.

The Times of India

2020-10-03