Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers don’t want new laws, why isn’t PM Modi withdrawing them: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the ongoing farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s three news farm laws. Gandhi questioned why PM Modi wasn’t withdrawing the laws when farmers themselves have said they didn’t want them and added that farmers had been camping at several border points in Delhi for more than 80 days in harsh weather conditions and were now bracing for the summer season.Addressing a kisan panchayat or a farmers’ meeting in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district, she said, “Farmers sitting at Delhi borders for over 80 days in cold are now bracing themselves for summer. What are they sitting for? PM says laws are for the benefit of farmers. When farmers themselves are saying that they don’t want it then why are you not withdrawing them?”While talking about the prices of sugarcane, Gandhi alleged that the Prime Minister did not give the due amount to the sugarcane farmers. She said that an amount of ₹10,000 crore was outstanding to the sugarcane farmers in UP while the due amount to the farmers growing the crop across India was worth ₹15,000 crore.Farmers sitting at Delhi borders for over 80 days in cold, are now bracing themselves for summer. What are they sitting for? PM says laws are for benefit of farmers. When farmers themselves are saying that they don't want it then why are you not withdrawing them?: Priyanka GV pic.twitter.com/x4mOMgl5JN“Did they increase the price of sugarcane from 2017? You should know that ₹10,000 crore is due to the sugarcane farmers of UP. This outstanding amount is ₹15,000 crore across the nation. He is such a PM that he has not given you your due amount,” the Congress leader said.Further taking a jibe at PM Modi’s official tours and rallies in India and abroad, Gandhi said that he (Modi) never spoke to the 300,000 protesting farmers that have been camping at sites which were near his residence. “You (PM Modi) have travelled across the globe for tours, rallies, purchased big aircraft for commuting, but you never heard the farmers that are camping just 2-3 kilometres away from your residence. In Parliament, you made fun of them (farmers) by calling them Andolan Jeevi,” she said during the kisan panchayat.Also Read| Toolkit case: Activists, environmentalists demand release of Disha RaviEarlier in the day, Gandhi had tweeted in support of climate activist Disha Ravi and demanded her release. “People with guns are afraid of an unarmed girl. Rays of courage and hope are being spread through an unarmed girl #ReleaseDishaRavi #DishaRavi #IndiaBeingSilenced,” she wrote on Twitter.Ravi was arrested by the Delhi Police regarding the toolkit controversy related to the farmers’ movement on social media. A Delhi court on Sunday had remanded her to five days of police custody. Delhi Police had said that the 21-year-old climate activist from Bengaluru was a key conspirator in the document’s formulation and dissemination and had started a WhatsApp group and collaborated to make the toolkit.

Hindustan Times

15-02-2021

India