Farmers Movement Archive

Rahul Gandhi rides tractor to Parliament, seeks scrapping of farm laws

NEW DELHI: Taking all by surprise and sending police into a tizzy, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday morning drove a tractor to the Parliament gate as part of the protest against the controversial farm laws, and demanded that the legislations be withdrawn. BJP dubbed it as “photo-op” and “theatrics” meant to derail the functioning of the two Houses. In the high security area where heavy vehicles are closely monitored, Rahul executed a plan that was kept under the wraps till the last moment. As per CCTV footage, it was brought surreptitiously overnight from Haryana in a canter to avoid detection by police. Investigations have also begun to ascertain how the tractor reached the Lutyens’ Zone. Taking the wheel of the tractor parked at the residence of senior lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP KTS Tulsi on Moti Lal Nehru Marg, Rahul sped away along the road leading to Parliament, before the cops realised what had happened. Riding along were party MPs from Punjab Ravneet Bittu, Amar Singh, Partap Singh Bajwa, Gurjeet Aujla, and Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda. Later, AICC spokesman Randeep Surjewala, youth Congress president BV Srinivas, Pranav Jha among others, who followed Rahul’s tractor in a convoy, were detained by the police and taken to Mandir Marg police station from where they were released after seven hours. Rahul told reporters that the government was oppressing the farmers and the three farm laws were designed to benefit select corporate houses. “This (tractor) is a message from the farmers. The government will have to withdraw these three laws,” he said. BJP said instead of “dramatics and theatrics”, the Congress functionary should use Parliament for constructive debate. “People of Congress themselves make fun of Rahul Gandhi's statements. He has no experience of the pain of the village, poor, or farmers. He is habituated to lie day after day in his unsuccessful attempt to stay politically relevant,” said Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. BJP chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni said Rahul’s sole agenda is to disrupt Parliament. “The government has consistently maintained that it is ready for debate on any issue. Instead of theatrics, Rahul Gandhi should have led his party in Parliament to raise issues on which they have reservations. However, the Congress leader doesn’t want a constructive, healthy debate to take place,” Baluni said adding that the Congress leader was making a mockery of parliamentary democracy as he should have been active in Parliament rather than doing a ‘photo-op’. Meanwhile, as Parliament continued to be paralysed, senior MP Jairam Ramesh said, “The entire Opposition is united. Have a discussion on Pegasus snooping issue in the presence of Prime Minister or Home Minister and announce a Supreme Court-monitored enquiry into the scandal. Parliament is not functioning because the government is not agreeing to these legitimate demands.” Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the government was spying on the heads of its own security force and intelligence agency which was unacceptable, besides snooping on journalists and opposition leaders. He said the party’s demand for judicial probe and discussion was being stonewalled which was leading to drama in Parliament.

The Times of India

2021-07-27

India