Farmers Movement Archive

Priyanka Gandhi likely to address 'kisan panchayat' in 5 eastern UP districts after Holi

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to address 'kisan panchayat' in five eastern Uttar Pradesh districts after Holi, taking the fight against the Centre's new farm laws to the home turf of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.Priyanka Gandhi is likely to begin her programme in eastern Uttar Pradesh next month with a visit to the famous Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, state party spokesperson Ashok Singh told PTI on Sunday."Five rallies are proposed in Varanasi, Sonbhadra, Gorakhpur, Mirzapur and Allahabad," he said.Singh said the party general secretary's visit will enthuse cadres ahead of the panchayat election and the 2022 assembly polls."The party will be contesting the panchayat elections and will put up a good show at the grassroots level," he claimed.Priyanka Gandhi has so far addressed 'kisan panchayat' (farmers' meet) in western Uttar Pradesh against the Centre's farm laws.Addressing a 'kisan panchayat' in Saharanpur on February 10, Priyanka Gandhi had attacked the Centre and said the if voted to power, the Congress would scrap the farm laws.She had also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders of "insulting" farmers protesting against the laws."These three laws were drafted in such a way that government 'mandis' will eventually close down, farmers will not get MSP (minimum support price) for their crops and there will be hoarding," she had said.Singh said the party has been staging agitation highlighting the plight of the common pople in the state."UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu was arrested for raising issues concerning people. A large number of Congress workers were sent to jail. The Congress has stood with the people, be it during the Covid-19 pandemic or the Hathras rape-and-murder case. We did not move back even an inch," he said, claiming that the people are looking at the Congress as an alternative now.

Hindustan Times

21-03-2021

India