Jaipur: Continuing scathing attack against PM Narendra Modi over the farm laws on the second day of his visit to Rajasthan, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the prime minister wants to “hand over” the entire agriculture business to his “two friends”.
Gandhi addressed two farmers’ rallies at Rupangarh in Ajmer and Nagaur’s Makrana. He had addressed farmers’ rallies in Hanumangarh’s Pilibanga and Sri Ganganagar’s Padampur on the first day of his two-day Rajasthan trip on Friday. At the Rupangarh rally, Gandhi said 40 per cent people of the country are stakeholders in the farming business.
“It is the business of 40 per cent people, which includes farmers, small and medium businessmen, traders and labourers. Narendra Modi wants to give this entire business to his two friends. This is the objective of the farm laws,” he claimed but did not name anyone.
“Narendra Modi said he is giving options but the options are: hunger, unemployment and suicide,” he alleged.
Gandhi, wearing a Rajasthani safa or turban, reached the rally venue driving a tractor with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra sitting with him.
The former Congress chief spoke while standing on a platform made of two tractor-trailers while the farmers sat or stood on tractor-trailers around the platform.
Later in another rally at Nagaur’s Makrana, Gandhi said the backbone of the country is being broken, which started with demonetisation.
“Future is being snatched from the youth. In front of your eyes, the backbone of the country is being broken. It began with demonetisation, after which the GST…Gabbar Singh Tax… was brought and small businesses were hit,” Gandhi said in the farmers’ rally.
“Farmers, labourers, traders are being sidelined and the path is being cleared for two-three businessmen. During the coronavirus lockdown, labourers requested the prime minister to give them tickets to go home but he did not yield to it and waived loans of Rs 1.5 lakh crore of the rich,” he alleged.
Gandhi said it was his responsibility to tell the truth and it is for the people to listen or not to listen.
“In February last year, I had said 10-15 times that Bharat Mata is going to suffer drastic losses due to coronavirus. Farmers, labourers and the poor are going to be badly hit but ‘press wale’ (media) said he is not a farmer, he is anti-national,” he said.
Gandhi said he kept silence in Parliament as a mark of respect to 200 farmers who died during the agitation against the farm laws but not a single BJP MP stood for it.
“The Speaker said I should give in writing. Now, I will give in writing to the Speaker that all members in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha should observe a two-minute silence,” he said while expressing confidence that the Speaker will allow this.
About the farm laws he said, “The first law is about finishing the mandi system, the second is about allowing unlimited hoarding and the third is about snatching the rights of farmers to go to courts.” Here, Gandhi also climbed on a camel cart and waived to people.
AICC general secretary Ajay Maken, chief minister Ashok Gehlot, state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra and former deputy CM Sachin Pilot also addressed farmers.
Earlier in the day, Gandhi offered prayers at a temple dedicated to folk deity Veer Tejaji in Ajmer’s Sursura village.
After arriving at the Ajmer’s Kishangarh airport from Sri Ganganagar, Gandhi left for the temple by road with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, AICC general secretary Ajay Maken, state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra and former deputy CM Sachin Pilot.
He was also seen talking to the temple priest. The temple committee honoured Gandhi with an idol of the deity.
