‘Amit Shah can do roadshow 1,200 km away but farmers are at doorstep,’ Congress attacks BJP over farmers’ protest

If the Prime Minister defends the farm bills, then what is the point of discussion with the protesting farmers, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Sunday said taking a swipe at the BJP government amid the ongoing farmers protests in the Capital. Referring to Modi’s Mann ki Baat speech where PM Modi said the new farm laws have given new rights and opportunities to farmers, Surjewala questioned Centre’s offer to talks with the farmers.

“Amit Shah can travel 1200 km and do a roadshow in Hyderabad. The farmers are just 15 km away. But he can’t go and meet them,” Surjewala said.

“There are several questions over these three laws. If there is no mandi, then who will buy crop from farmers in minimum support price. The government is saying farmers can now sell their crops to other states. But 86 per cent of the farmers have less than five acre of land. They can even go out of their district with their crops. And in his Mann ki Baat today, Modiji defended these anti-farmer laws,” Surjewala said.

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The Congress demanded immediate suspension of the three farm laws and the withdrawal of the 12,000 FIRs filed against farmers. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi should talk to the farmers. Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar should apologise for calling farmers terrorists. So should BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya for calling them ‘Khalistanis’,” Surjewala said.

The Centre has invited the protesting farmers for a talk on December 3.

Thousands of farmers have reached New Delhi on Saturday, responding to the Delhi Chalo call gainst the three farm laws — defeating all administrative attempts to not let them enter the Capital. The AAP government has designated Burari ground where several farmers are protesting at present but several other groups have denied to move there.