Rahul Gandhi presents in Lok Sabha ‘list of dead farmer protesters’

Speaking during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Rahul demanded that the families of the farmers be provided compensation.

“The country knows that during the farmers’ movement, 700 farmers were martyred. The PM apologised to the farmers and accepted his mistake. The Agriculture Minister (Narendra Tomar) was asked about the number of farmers who were martyred during the movement, and he had said he has no data,” Rahul said, presenting the list of names.

The Congress leader said the party’s Punjab government had given compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to 400 farmers. “Of these (kin of) 152 farmers have been given jobs. I have the list and will lay it on the table. We have a list of 70 farmers from Haryana as well. So, if the PM is apologising and you are saying you don’t have the names, then here they are. I want them to be given compensation and jobs, which is their right.”

Rahul gave an adjournment motion notice in the morning to discuss the issue of compensation to the farmers who died during the protests. The same was, however, not accepted by Speaker Om Birla.

There were protests in the House by Opposition leaders over issues related to farmers, with TRS members staging a walkout demanding procurement of paddy from Telangana.

In response to a question on December 1 on whether it proposes to provide financial assistance to families of farmers who died during the agitation, the government stated, “The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare has no record in the matter and hence the question does not arise.”

During the previous Monsoon Session, Tomar had said the Centre had no record of deceased farmers linked to the protests.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha claims 670 farmers have died since the protests began, accusing the Modi government of refusing to acknowledge “the high human cost”.