Farmers Movement Archive

On Day 2 of tractor rally, Rahul Gandhi to continue attack on Centre over farm laws

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will continue his attack on the Centre over the recently-passed farm laws when he will begin his second round of tractor rally in Punjab on Monday, a day after it saw massive participation from party leaders and farmers supporting the protest.On the second day of the party’s ‘Kheti Bachao Yatra’, Gandhi will cover a distance of 20km, beginning with a reception at Barnala Chowk in the Sangrur district, from where the Congress leader and his team will travel by car to Bhawanigarh to address a public meeting. They will then head to Samana in Patiala district on tractors. Their receptions will be held at Fatehgarh Chhana and Bahmna, before ending the day with a public meeting at Grain Market, Samana.Also Read: Rahul Gandhi vows to scrap contentious farm laws once Congress returns to power at CentreGandhi had expressed solidarity with the agrarian community on the first day of the tractor rally and called out the Centre asking if the farmers were happy why were they protesting against the legislation passed during Parliament’s monsoon session. “And if farmers are happy with these laws, then why are they agitating across the country? Why is every farmer of Punjab agitating?” he asked.The Congress leader also released a ‘kisan-mazdoor ekta’ (farmer-labourer unity) flag.He was joined by chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, and a battery of senior Congress leaders. The chief minister urged Gandhi to bring the farmers from across India under one roof for an organised protest against the Centre. “The Akalis sold off the farmers’ interests as part of the Central government, with Bathinda MP Harsimrat Badal being party to the decision as a minister. The Centre might pay MSP for a couple of crops, but eventually it would scrap the system completely,” he added.The protest march in Punjab covered a distance of approximately 22km on the first day, starting from Badni Kalan in the state’s Moga district, then headed to Ludhiana’s Jagraon and moved ahead to Chakar, Lakha and Manoke before concluding in Raikot.The Congress team’s 50km tractor rally will end in Punjab on Tuesday. They will start from Dudhan Sadhan in the Patiala district with a public meeting, then head for Pehowa border, which is at a distance of 10km.Gandhi will then enter Haryana for a two-day tractor rally and roadshows in the state against the three farm laws - The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Service Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Hindustan Times

05-10-2020

India