Rahul leads tractor rally to back farmers
KALPETTA: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who represents Wayanad constituency in the parliament, on Monday led a rally of around 200 tractors on a six kilometre route here to protest against the controversial farm laws and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the farmers’ protests taking place in the country for almost three months. “We have pop stars commenting on situation of the farmers, but not the Prime Minister. The entire world can see the difficulties faced by Indian farmers. But the government in Delhi is unable to understand the pain of the farmers,” Gandhi said. “I have said this in the Parliament — Hum do; Hamare do — ( We two; For us two).
Two people in the government, partnering with two people outside the government! Idea is very simple that these four people must control the Indian agriculture. Their idea is that farmers must sell their produce directly to these businesses, “Gandhi said. He alleged that the three laws are designed to destroy the agriculture system in India and give the entire business to two or three friends of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
More than 200 tractors took part in the rally from Thrikkaipata to Mutil. Thousands of supporters waved flags and shouted slogans along the way.
The Congress leader reached the state Sunday evening, ahead of the upcoming Kerala legislative Assembly elections. Gandhi’s Congress party is leading the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), which hopes to cash in on the antiincumbency factor and anti-government sentiments of the majority community with regard to Sabarimala Temple entry for women.
Rahul Gandhi said agriculture is the only business that belongs to ‘Bharat Mata’ (Mother India) and called upon the people to ‘ force’ the Bjp-led central government to withdraw three farm laws. Agriculture is the biggest business in the country worth Rs40 lakh crore and it is owned by millions and millions of Indians.
Gandhi also reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), the rural employment guarantee scheme promoted by the earlier UPA government led by Congress came to the help of rural people especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The demand for MGNREGA, which provides social protection for the most vulnerable people living in rural India by guaranteeing wage employment opportunities, skyrocketed during COVID.