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Rahul Gandhi meets farmers, discusses MSP issue
Rahul Gandhi, along with former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, also met farmers and families of farmers, who died during the agitation against the three now repealed farm laws
: Rahul Gandhi on Monday met farmer leaders and discussed various issues, including guaranteed minimum support price for all crops, as the Bharat Jodo Yatra marched on the 115th day, witnessing an all-women walk.
During his stay at Shahbad grain market, Gandhi, along with former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, also met farmers and families of farmers, who died during the agitation against the three now repealed farm laws.
Farmer leaders, who held a meeting with Gandhi for around one hour, said that they had raised issues of guaranteed MSP and Swaminathan Commission report with him.
The delegation of farmer leaders included Samyukta Kisan Morcha leader Rakesh Tikait, Yogendra Yadav, Yudhvir Singh, Jagdip Singh Aulakh and Satpal Kaushik.
“We have discussed the issues and problems of farmers at length and steps could be taken for the welfare of farmers in the Congress-ruled states, especially in Himachal Pradesh and Chattisgarh,” Tikait told media.
“We also discussed the issue of guaranteed minimum support price for all the crops and we asked him to include the MSP issue in the manifesto of the Congress party for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” he added.
Yadav said that Gandhi told them that the issue of MSP was already under discussion in his party and he has also sought partnership from the farmers to make their future bright.
In an interaction, Hooda alleged that the BJP government had failed on its promises of doubling farmers’ income by 2022.
“The sugarcane farmers are on the streets but the government remains indifferent to the agitation. In 2015-16, the rate of sugarcane was ₹317, if the income of the farmers had to be doubled, the rate should have been ₹634 against ₹362 per quintal,” he added.
All-women march
The 115th day of the yatra was dedicated to women empowerment in Haryana it witnessed a large number of women marching with Gandhi amid bone-chilling cold and fog.
“Today is women power day in Haryana leg of Bharat Jodo Yatra. Equal opportunities will empower women power. This is how we will take women forward,” the Congress party tweeted.
The yatra reached Mohra in Ambala district on Monday evening. It will enter Punjab on January 11.
Rahul likens RSS to Kauravas
“The Kauravas of 21st century wear half pants, carry sticks in hand and organise shakhas. They have two-three richest men on their side. The power of billionaires made Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement Demonetisation and GST,” he said.
“Pandavas were ascetic, they did not spread hatred on this earth. In Mahabharata, on one side there were 5 ascetics and on the other side there was a crowded organisation. Pandavas also worked against injustice.”
On wearing a T-shirt in the biting cold, the Congress leader said, “In Kerala the weather was humid, but when we reached Madhya Pradesh, it was a little colder. There I met three poor girls wearing thin shirt and shivering. Same day, I decided to wear this T-shirt till I shiver similarly and wear a sweater when I feel so.”
