Will keep raising farmers’ issues in Parliament, says Congress chief

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday said her party would continue to corner the BJP-led NDA government by raising farmers’ issues in Parliament. “We will keep raising farmers’ issues,” she said after a meeting of party MPs to discuss the strategy and issues to be raised for this week of the ongoing budget session.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday said her party would continue to corner the BJP-led NDA government by raising farmers’ issues in Parliament. “We will keep raising farmers’ issues,” she said after a meeting of party MPs to discuss the strategy and issues to be raised for this week of the ongoing budget session.

Earlier in the Lok Sabha, Sonia and Rahul set aside political differences and walked up to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to enquire about her well-being – Swaraj is recovering from a leg injury.

Sonia had a brief chat with a smiling Swaraj before the two were joined by Rahul. Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, NCP’s Surpiya Sule and Bhagwant Mann from AAP were among others who enquired about Swaraj’s health.

During the day, Sonia thanked hundreds of farmers who stayed back to meet her after Sunday’s kisan, khet-mazdoor rally at Ramlila Maidan. Farmers from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu met her in groups and discussed the controversial land acquisition law apart from other issues related to agriculturists.

At the rally on Sunday, Sonia Gandhi had accused PM Narendra Modi of “abandoning” the poor after coming to power and said the NDA government was “rubbing salt into the wounds” of farmers by bringing the land acquisition ordinance. “We are here to send a strong message to the Prime Minister and his government. Ab bahut ho chuka hai (enough is enough),” she had said.