Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with several party workers on Friday, 15 January marched towards Raj Niwas, the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, for ‘gherao’ in protest against the three farm laws.
The rally came after a call by the Congress party to protest outside governor’s houses in every state, against the three farm laws that have led to a long-standing conflict between farmers and the Centre.
“The three laws have been brought to finish the farmers. If we don’t stop this now, it will continue to happen in other sectors too. Narendra Modi does not respect the farmers. The farmers will neither deter nor fear,” Rahul Gandhi said, as quoted by ANI.
He also alleged that PM Modi doesn't respect farmers and intends to tire out those protesting against the laws in Delhi.
The two leaders also met Congress MPs Ravneet Singh Bittu and Gurjeet Singh Aujla who have been protesting against the laws at Jantar Mantar along with with several other Congress leaders and workers. Bittu and Aujla were later detained by the police.
Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) President Anil Kumar said that Gandhi is leading the rally against the three ‘black’ farm laws.
“This is a direct message that the three black laws against the farmers are being challenged by Rahul ji right from the Parliament to the streets. The farmers are determined. The three black laws must be withdrawn by the Narendra modi government. On the directions of Sonia Ganghi ji, the youth will gherao governor’s houses today in every state,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, Uttar pradesh Congress President Ajay Kumar Lallu, along with several other party workers, was detained in Lucknow for holding protests. The Congress Party took to Twitter to call his detention a “shameless and condemnable act”.
The protests by the Congress Party come even as the Centre and the farmers’ unions kicked-off the ninth round of talks in Delhi at the Vigyan Bhavan.
The rally comes a day after Gandhi, in Madurai, attacked the Modi government over the farm laws and said the government will be “forced to take the farm laws back".
He claimed that the government is not just “suppressing” the farmers but “conspiring to destroy” them.
“The government is not just neglecting them (farmers), the government is conspiring to destroy them. There is a difference. Neglecting is ignoring. They are not ignoring them... just trying to destroy them because they want to benefit two or three of their friends,” he had said.
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