NEW DELHI: Former Union minister and MP of Shiromani Akali Dal Harsimrat Badal has slammed Rahul Gandhi's protest over farm laws, saying the Congress leader is shedding "crocodile tears" over the issue.
Rahul Gandhi should clarify why his grandmother and father used the word Khalistanis for Punjabis before shedding 'crocodile tears' over farmers being labelled so, Harsimrat said in a tweet.
The Bathinda MP asked Rahul Gandhi about the farmers protest in Punjab, asking him where he was when the farmers were protesting in Punjab.
She also questioned him and the Congress party about the absence of their MPs from Parliament when this law was being formed.
Shiromani Akali Dal, a long-time BJP ally, left the NDA last year over the three farm laws passed by Parliament in the monsoon session.
Earlier on Friday, the Congress leader along with Priyanka Gandhi, joined party MPs in their demonstration against the legislations at Jantar Mantar on Friday.
"Narendra Modi does not have basic respect for farmers. He does not even care if over 100 farmers die. He thinks he has the power and the protesting farmers will tire out after some days, but they will not relent," he said.
"The talks are being held only to delay. PM Modi thinks he has the power and will tire the farmers out, but he is mistaken," Rahul Gandhi told reporters.
The ninth-round of talks between the farmer unions and the government on Friday ended inconclusively. The next round of talks will be held on January 19.
(With inputs from agencies )