Cong: Rejection of govt ‘lollipop’ signals farmers’ awakening

As the protesting farmer unions turned down the Centre’s proposal of suspending the contentious farm laws for 18 months, the Congress on Thursday said this rejection of the government’s “lollipop” by the farmers signals their “awakening”.

Stepping up his attack on the government over the farmers’ issue, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, “Stop the daily ‘jumlas’ and atrocities, just simply repeal the anti-agriculture laws.”

The protesting farmer unions on Thursday rejected the government’s proposal to suspend the three farm laws for 18 months and set up a joint committee to find an amicable solution to end the deadlock.

This was announced by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of unions leading protests at several Delhi border points.

Reacting to the development, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, “Modi ji, the country’s farmers are awakened. When will you wake up?” “The martyrdom of 147 ‘annadaatas’ will not go in vain. The rejection of the government’s lollipop by the farmer unions is the bugle of their awakening,” he said in a tweet.

The martyrdom of 147 ‘annadaatas’ will not go in vain. Modi ji, India’s farmers are awakened. When will you wake up?

RANDEEP SURJEWALA, Congress leader

“Don’t say later that you were not told,” Surjewala added.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Haryana and Punjab, have been protesting at several border points of Delhi since November 28 last year, demanding a repeal of the three laws and a legal guarantee to the MSP system for their crops.