Reacting on the ongoing farmers’ protests, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday asked the government to wake up and shed “arrogance” to provide protesting farmers their rights.
Taking to Twitter, Rahul Gandhi said everyone was indebted to the farmers for their hard work and this debt would be repaid only by giving them justice.
“The food grower is sitting in protest on the roads and fields and speeches are being given on TV.We all are indebted to the hard work of farmers. This debt will be over only by giving them justice and their rights, and not by mistreating them or by beating them with batons or using tear gas against them,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.
“Wake up and come down from the chair of arrogance and think of giving the farmers their rights,” he also said.
Farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, are holding protests at the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders of the national capital against the Centre’s new agri-marketing laws.
The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also spoke in the favour of the farmers and said, “Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protest.”
He further noted that the situation is concerning.
“The news coming out of India about the protest by farmers. The situation is concerning and we’re all very worried about family and friends. I know that’s a reality for many of you. Let me remind you, Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protest,” Trudeau said at an online event to mark the 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
Citing the increasing cold and Covid situation in the country, the Union government has preponed the meeting with agitating farmers and has called them today instead of December 3.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar cited cold and coronavirus for the decision and also assured that there was no precondition.
“On November 13, we had decided we will meet on December 3, but farmers are in a mood to protest,” Union minister Narendra Tomar said.
“It is cold and there is coronavirus. Hence we invite the kisan union heads to Vigyan Bhawan on December 1 at 3 pm. We request you to leave the protest and find a solution through discussion,” he added.
Farmers’ organisations have said more people from Amritsar region, who had stayed back to celebrate Gurpurab, are likely to reach the border by today.