As the government engaged the farmer leaders in talks, the Congress asked the government on Tuesday to suspend the three farm laws, assure minimum support price (MSP) in writing, take back criminal cases filed against farmers and waive the fines for burning stubble.
Talks with farmers would be “meaningful” only if the government offered viable solutions, party general secretary Randeep Surjewala said.
Former party chief Rahul Gandhi, in a separate tweet, asked the government to wake up and shed its “arrogance,” to provide protesting farmers their rights. Mr. Gandhi said everyone was indebted to the farmers for their hard work and this debt could 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. Wake up and come down from the chair of arrogance and think of giving the farmers their rights,” he said on Twitter.
Articulating the mains demands of the Congress party, Mr. Surjewala said they stood with the farmers.
He claimed that nearly 12,000 cases had been registered against farmers and they should be withdrawn unconditionally. “Poor farmers have been booked on charges of burning stubble, fines have been imposed and they have been locked up in jails. Take back all of them and immediately remove the fine of the stubble,” he said. Talking about the three farm laws enacted by Parliament recently, “Either abolish all three black laws or give legal guarantee of MSP to the farmer. Do not mislead or trick the farmer. Do not unleash any conspiracy or put a show of dialogue,” he added.