Pilot, Gehlot share stage during dharna against farm laws

The ruling Congress in Rajasthan held a dharna in Jaipur on Sunday to protest against the three farm laws. The party’s MLAs participated in the agitation along with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former state Congress chief as well as former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot.

Gehlot and Pilot shared the same platform from where they targeted the BJP and the Central government over the new laws. Last year, the state was engulfed in a political crisis as Pilot camped in Delhi and Haryana with 18 of his loyalist legislators.

Addressing the crowd, Gehlot lashed out at the government saying it was being “insensitive” to the voices of farmers. “There have been 40 deaths in 39 days. You must be able to understand what they are (farmers) going through. Their families, many of their sons, grandsons are in the Army. It is the height of insensitivity that the government repeatedly calls them for talks and is doing timepass. They think that the farmers will get tired and the issue will end,” he said.

During his address, Pilot said farmers of the country are scared for their future.

“After winning the second (Lok Sabha) election, the behaviour adopted by the Central government and the Prime Minister reflects that in order to register their names in history, they can do anything. Today, the farmers of this country are not only protesting but are also scared, thinking about their future,” said Pilot.

“The Centre should understand that if the government takes back some of its decisions, it is not a defeat and there’s nothing to be ashamed of,” he added.