We were a preeminent economy, now we are a laughing stock: Rahul Gandhi targets govt over farm laws

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticised the government over the farm laws claiming that there is a huge section of the country’s population which is unhappy with how the government is running the nation. “There are millions of people in this country who do not accept what is going on in the country. They understand that there is a massive failure… We used to be a preeminent economy in the world. We are a laughing stock (now), we cannot give jobs to our youngsters and our farmers are out protesting in the cold,” Gandhi said.

The Congress leader also said that the nation’s image is being tarnished due to the agitations. “This is something to be ashamed of. The whole world is asking us why are lakh farmers protesting daily,” he said during a press conference.

The Congress lawmaker from Wayanad also targeted JP Nadda over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president's tweets where he questioned Gandhi over the promises of reforms made by the Congress in its election manifesto for the Lok Sabha in 2019. While replying to Nadda's criticism Gandhi said that Congress supported farmers by protesting against land acquisition and extending farm loan waivers. “During land acquisition, Congress stood with farmers. Congress also extended farm loan waivers to farmers, JP Nadda was not there during all this,” he said.

Nadda had claimed that Gandhi sympathises with farmers only when he is in the opposition. “Rahul Gandhi has been spreading lies that all APMC Mandis will be closed down. But wasn't action against the APMC Act a part of Congress manifesto? Would that not have closed down mandis,” Nadda had questioned him in a tweet on Tuesday. “Why did the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) stall the Swaminathan Commission report for years and did not increase the minimum support price (MSP)? Why did farmers remain poor for decades under Congress Governments? Does he feel sympathy for farmers only in opposition?” he had asked.

Farmers’ union representatives will hold the tenth round of discussions on Wednesday over the three farms laws passed in September last year. Farmers have been protesting for almost two months against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 at Delhi’s borders.

Farmers say that these laws will not double the incomes for the farmers as the government claims but will pave way for contract farming and allow multinational companies to reap profits off the agricultural sector.