Farmers Movement Archive

New farm laws will hit middle class and youth: Rahul Gandhi

JAIPUR/AJMER: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi continued his attack on the BJP-led Centre over the three farm laws while addressing farmers in Ajmer and Nagaur districts on the second day of his tour in the state on Saturday. Rahul said the middle class will have to spend more on grains, vegetables and fruits as the business of small traders and shopkeepers would be taken over by a few individuals if the three farm laws get implemented. The Congress leader’s stage at Roopangarh near Ajmer was prepared on tractor trolleys and the audiences too were seated in hundreds of tractors to listen to him. Rahul wore a Rajasthani turban and later drove a tractor for a distance in the form of a rally. Passing through Parbatsar, he concluded his two-day tour of the state after addressing another farmers’ rally at Makrana in Nagaur district in the evening. Appealing to the younger generation in Makrana, the Congress leader said the three farm laws would put the youth’s future in danger as 40% of the population that presently controls the business of agriculture would be left unemployed. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks of giving options in these laws, but the options he has offered translate to hunger, unemployment and suicide,” Rahul said. He added, “With these laws, Modi is clearing the path for 2-3 of his industrialist friends. It began with notebandi and GST.” Rahul alleged that farmers, labourers and small businessmen were being sidelined by the Modi government’s policies. “During the lockdown, labourers requested him for train or bus tickets to go home, but he did not yield to it and waived loans of Rs 1.5 lakh crore of the rich.” He added, “In last February, I said 10-15 times that Bharat Mata is going to suffer drastic losses due to coronavirus. Farmers, labourers and the poor are going to be badly hit but the ‘press wale’ (media) mocked me and called me anti-national.” Rahul said he kept silent in Parliament as a mark of respect to 200 farmers who died during the agitation against the farm laws, but not a single BJP MP stood for it. “The Speaker said I should give in writing. Now, I will give in writing to the Speaker that all members in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha should observe a two-minute silence (for deceased farmers),” he said. At Roopangarh, Rahul said 40% people of the country are stakeholders in the agriculture business. “It is the business of 40% people, which includes farmers, small and medium businessmen, traders and labourers. Narendra Modi wants to give this entire business to his two friends. This is the objective of the farm laws,” the Congress leader claimed without naming anyone. Rahul said it was his responsibility to tell the truth and it was for the people to listen or not to listen. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra and former deputy CM Sachin Pilot too addressed the farmers.

The Times of India

2021-02-14

Udaipur