Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on December 7 demanded from the government that the families of the farmers who died during the protests against the now-repealed farm laws be compensated.
Gandhi's comments in Lok Sabha during the Winter Session of Parliament came in the backdrop of Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar's recent response saying there is "no” record of the deaths of protesting farmers.
"Around 700 farmers died during the protests. Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologised to the nation and the farmers and expressed the mistake. But on November 30, Union Agriculture Minister, in response to a question on how many farmers died in the protest, said there was no data," Gandhi, the Wayanad MP said in Lok Sabha.
He had earlier given an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha over the issue.
"We found that Punjab government had given Rs 5 Lakh compensation for around 400 farmers... We have another list from Haryana... Your government says that there are no names. I want the farmers be given their due and should be compensated. Here is the list,” Gandhi said in Lok Sabha.
According to the Opposition and farmer leaders, as many as 700 farmers have died during the year-long protests along Delhi borders against the laws that were repealed on November 30, the first day of the ongoing winter session of Parliament.