Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in her 5th Kisan Mahapanchayat in Western UP at Kaily village of the district on Sunday, called upon the farmers to intensify the agitation against the three farm laws by protesting in their respective villages and appealed the public to stand by the farmers “even for 100 more months if the need be”.
While addressing a massive crowd at the ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ in Kaily village of Sardhana area of the district, Priyanka Gandhi asked people to start agitation against the three farm laws in their villages.
Priyanka arrived at the Mahapanchayat venue on a tractor accompanied by PCC UP Chief Ajay Kumar Lallu and other rank and files of the party. People gave her a rousing welcome amid slogans of “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” and “Priyanka Gandhi Zindabad”.
This is the 5th Kisan Mahapanchayat of Congress party in western UP that was addressed by Priyanka. Starting with Saharanpur, she held similar Mahapanhayats in Bijnore and Muzzaffarnagar districts in the past weeks.
Addressing a charged crowd of farmers and supporters, the Congress leader appealed to the people to extend their support and give blessings to the farmers in their agitation against the three farm laws.
“The first war of independence started from Meerut in which many people made supreme sacrifice and farmers gave their contribution. Now is the time to give strength to the farmers,” she stated.
Comparing the BJP Rule with the British Rule, Priyanka said that as the farmers were exploited then, the BJP is doing the same with them now. In 100 days of agitation over 200 farmers have been martyred and the government is mocking at it and insulting the farmers, she quipped adding that instead, they would have initiated dialogues with the agitating farmers.
Coming on to the three farm laws, she said that the government has introduced these laws to benefit corporates and these would reduce the income of farmers.
“If these farm laws are in favour of the farmers then why are they sitting at borders of Delhi for more than 100 days?” She questioned adding that the farmers are full of courage and valour so should the PM not respect them?
Instead, the water supply of the agitating farmers was cut. She lamented and charged the PM with mocking the farmers. “His ministers did not even get up to keep 2 minutes silence to pay tribute to the farmers who lost their lives during the agitation at Delhi borders,” she charged.
Raising the issue of the steep hike in the prices of diesel, petrol, cooking gas and electricity, Priyanka said that the government is running only to benefit its “two friends”.
The Congress leader also highlighted the problem of sugarcane farmers. Priyanka attacked the government for non-payment of sugarcane dues. She said that sugar mills have to pay more than Rs 10 thousand crore to the farmers but instead of clearing these dues, Modiji has bought two planes for himself spending Rs 16 thousand crore, spending Rs 20 thousand crore on the new Parliament and Rupees 26 thousand crore have gone to the pockets of his friends from farmers’ insurance policy. She called upon people to join hands to bring about a change in the country.
“The time has come when you should wake up and know what wrong was being done to you,” she said to the farmers appealing to them to raise the voice for their rights.
Priyanka Gandhi also kept 2 minutes silence at the Mahapanchayat to pay tributes to farmers who died while protesting against the farm laws.