Cong says PM should talk to farmers; Rahul hits out at govt

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that a soldier was pitted against an old farmer due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "arrogance". The Congress also said it would have been better if the prime minister talked to the protesting farmers instead of getting "himself photographed in corporate offices".

"This is a very sad photo. Our slogan was 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan', but today a soldier is standing against the farmer due to PM Modi's arrogance. This is very dangerous," he said in a tweet in Hindi along with the picture of a soldier showing a baton to an old farmer. Farmers from Punjab and Haryana continued their protests against the new farm laws, with many of them blocking traffic on the national highway after the police stopped them from their 'Chalo Delhi' march. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala accused Modi of getting pictures clicked in corporate offices while farmers are protesting on Delhi roads.

"Wish the PM talks to farmers on the road instead of flying in the aircraft," he said in a tweet after Modi visited a company in Ahmedabad which is engaged in the COVID-19 vaccine research. Another spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi claimed whoever protests against the Modi government is "deemed a terrorist". "Poor farmers from Punjab pointing out genuine grievances have been labeled Khalistan. Why doesn't Modi come out and address the Annadata however, only demands of them during elections," he tweeted.

Party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also tweeted similar pictures of farmers being prevented by the police from marching towards Delhi, where they wish to hold a protest against the new farm laws. She said it is right if the government frames laws against farmers, but it is wrong when farmers wish to make their voices heard in Delhi.

"Look at the state of affairs in the BJP government. When super-rich friends of the BJP come to Delhi, a red carpet is laid to welcome them, but the roads are being dug up when farmers wish to enter Delhi," she said in a tweet in Hindi. Thousands of farmers protesting the Centre's new Agri laws stayed put at the Singhu and Tikri border points for the third consecutive day on Saturday amid heavy police presence even after being offered a north Delhi ground to hold peaceful demonstrations.

Numbers swelled at the Singhu border point as farmers gathered there were joined by more counterparts from Punjab and Haryana and they refused to move towards the Sant Nirankari Ground, one of the biggest in the national capital.