LUCKNOW: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to repeal the three farm laws in upcoming session of Parliament, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that the government decided to do so because it had understood that they would face “reverses” in the upcoming assembly elections.
Speaking to media here, Priyanka Gandhi, who is also in-charge of the Congress for Uttar Pradesh that will go to polls early next year said, “After 600-700 farmers died during the year-long agitation, the Prime Minister is now apologising for the laws but he has not uttered a word about martyred farmers.”
Questioning the government over the recent violence in Uttar Pradesh, she said, “What about Lakhimpur incident and why has the minister not been dismissed till now?”
She said that we will have to understand that the government decided to change its decision only after recent surveys showed that it was slipping.
To a question about the farmers not ready to immediately call off their agitation, the Congress leader said:
The farmers have been described as ‘aatankwadi’, ‘andolanjeevi’, ‘gundey’, and ‘deshdrohi’. Why should they trust the government so blindly in a minute?
She said that the government also has the option of bringing an ordinance so why is it waiting for the Parliament session.
She further said that she was happy that the government had finally realised the strength of farmers and also the fact that no one is greater than the farmers.
“If the government is serious about what has happened then it should take necessary steps. The minister involved in the Lakhimpur incident should be dismissed. Other problems of farmers like MSP, shortage of fertilizer and other such issues, should also be addressed,” she said.
Priyanka said that she was also happy that the entire opposition had stood by the farmers during their agitation.
When asked about the farmers in Punjab, she said, “Entire country is witnessing the kind of politics being done and why such decision to repeal laws has been taken.”
Earlier in the day, Modi on the occasion of Gurpurab addressed the nation and announced that his government is going to repeal the three farm laws in the upcoming session of Parliament later this month.
Hundreds of farmers from western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana have been protesting at several borders of the national capital since November 26 last year demanding the repealing of three farm laws. More than 600 farmers have allegedly lost their lives during the protest.