Congress holds nationwide agitation against farm laws

Congress party led huge demonstrations in various states across the country, submitting a memorandum to Governors of respective states against the agriculture legislations. The party said that the protests were aimed at making the government listen to the voice of farmers and withdraw the atrocious anti-farmers Bills passed by the Parliament.

New Delhi: A day after the President of India Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to three contentious farm bills, Congress party led huge demonstrations in various states like Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and many others, submitting a memorandum to Governors of respective states against the agriculture legislations.

"In a series of continuing opposition to the draconian anti-farmers' legislations steamrolled by Central Government, Congress party today organized and undertook nationwide agitation in state capitals under the aegis of the Pradesh Congress Committees," said a statement of the party.

It further added, "The protests were aimed at making the deaf government listen to the voice of farmers and withdraw the atrocious anti-farmers Bills passed by the Parliament, abolishing MSP and creating corporate monopolies in the farm produce procurement sector."

Earlier today, Chief Ministers, PCC Chiefs, Party leaders, MLAs, MPs and party's office-bearers assembled in state headquarters and marched to the Raj Bhavan (Governor's Office) to lodge their protest against agricultural laws.

Punjab CM, Capt Amrinder Singh along with his ministers and senior leaders assembled at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

He also announced that his Government will move to Supreme Court to challenge these laws.

Rajasthan CM, Ashok Gehlot and PCC President Govind Singh Dotasra met Governor at Raj Bhavan to submit a memorandum, urging him for an immediate withdrawal of these farm laws.

Apart from them, Congress leaders of Gujarat, Haryana, Kerala, Karnataka, Puducherry, Telangana, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Jharkhand also submitted their memorandum to the Governors.

"At some places like Lucknow and Banaras, Congress party workers were arrested and forcibly taken away in buses. Protesters of Youth Congress also expressed their vehement opposition to farmers bills at various places," said the statement.

Recently, Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi also asked her party ruled states to explore possibilities of passing state laws under Article 254(2) of the constitution to bypass these Central Government's farm laws, stating that it would alleviate farmers from "grave injustice" done to them by Modi Government.

However, the BJP-led Central Government is repeatedly alleging that Congress is trying to "mislead" the farmers on these agriculture laws as this would make the farmers free from the clutches of middlemen and they will be able to sell their produce directly to the corporates.

In line with these ongoing protests, Congress will also observe 'Kisan-Mazdoor Bachao Divas' on October 2, by holding dharnas and marches at each assembly and district headquarters across the country.