‘Govt realised nobody taller than farmers’
LUCKNOW : After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the government had decided to repeal the three farm laws which had been at the centre of protests by farmers for the past year, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday questioned the PM for his “silence” when farmers were being targeted and for not dismissing Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra whose son allegedly crushed some farmers to death in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 this year.
Speaking to media persons at her Kaul House residence here, Priyanka said the PM had not yet dismissed the union minister. “If the government is serious, action be taken in the Lakhimpur Kheri case and the union minister be dismissed,” she demanded.
She further said the PM was apologising when more than 600-700 farmers had lost their lives during the agitation against the three laws that had continued for more than 350 days now. “Agitating farmers were being called ‘aandolannjivi’ goondas, terrorists and anti-national. Why was the PM silent? PM himself called them (farmers) ‘aandolanjivi’,” Priyanka said.
Questioning the PM for the delay, she said “Why are they (BJP) apologising now? Do the people not know the elections are inching closer? The people know why did they wait for long. It’s clear the election is inching closer. They (BJP) must have come to know the outcome of pre-poll survey that the situation is not favourable to the BJP.”
She said she was, however, happy as the government had realised nobody was taller than farmers. She said the government had realised it will have to bow down before the wishes of farmers. “This is victory of farmers and defeat of ego,” Priyanka said and added that the government must first of all pay homage to the farmers who lost their lives in the agitation.