‘Resilience of farmers won, arrogance of power has lost’

New Delhi, Dec 9: The arrogance of power has lost and the resilience of farmers has won, the Congress said on Thursday, as farmers suspended their over yearlong protests at Delhi’s borders and announced organising “victory marches”. The suspension was announced after the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) received an official letter from the Central government, accepting the pending demands of farmers, including unconditional withdrawal of police cases against protesters.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared a video of the farmers’ struggle over the past year and said it is the victory of truth and remembered the ‘annadatas’ who lost their lives during the agitation.

The agitation has ended but the struggle shall continue, the opposition party said.

Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “The arrogance of power has lost today.”

“The arrogance of rulers, who by their sheer numbers subjugated democracy, subjugated the entire Parliament and suppressed the voice of India’s farmers, has finally kneeled down before the Gandhian protest of millions of farmers,” he said.

The Congress leader said farmers and their unions protested in a disciplined Gandhian manner even though the government dubbed them terrorists, naxalites, goons and antinationals. Farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, started protesting at Delhi border

points — Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur — on November 26 last year against the three contentious farm laws. The laws were repealed by Parliament on November 29, but farmers continued their protest over their pending demands, which also includes formation a committee on minimum support price (MSP).

The government also assured farmers that a committee on minimum support price (MSP) which will include SKM members will be formed.

Surejwala said the government had to yield to the peaceful Gandhian, disciplined, issue-based protest of millions of farmers and that is a victory for India’s democracy.