Govt decided to repeal farm laws as it sensed poll defeat: Priyanka Gandhi

Priyanka Gandhi addressing a press conference in Lucknow. Pic/PTI

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the government decided to withdraw the three farm laws as it sensed defeat in the upcoming assembly polls and asked it bring an ordinance to complete the repeal process quickly.

"What happened today is the victory of farmers and the defeat of arrogance. The government has understood that when citizens and farmers take a stand, it has to bow to it," she told reporters in Lucknow.

Her remarks in Lucknow and on Twitter followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation announcing the BJP government's decision to repeal the three agri-marketing laws over which farmers have been protesting for a year.

Modi said the repeal will be effected in Parliament's winter session, set to begin in a few days. But Priyanka Gandhi said the government should not wait. "The government brings ordinances for different small issues, why not for this? Is there any plan to do it with fanfare when the elections draw closer? Why are they not doing it now?"

Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are among the states going to the polls early next year. The Congress leader also demanded the dismissal of Union minister Ajay Mishra, whose son was arrested in connection with the death of four farmers during a protest in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri recently. She said Modi should also pay homage to farmers who have died during the course of the agitation.

She accused BJP leaders of calling farmers hooligans, traitors and terrorists in the past and said the PM remained silent when this happened. "Today you are saying that these laws will be repealed. How can we believe your intentions," the Congress general secretary, who is in charge of Uttar Pradesh, said. She recalled that her brother Rahul Gandhi had said long back that the government will have to bow before the strength of farmers.

Asked if Modi made the announcement in view of the coming elections, the Congress leader said this was "clear". "He has said nothing till now, did not go to meet the farmers or visit those agitating at the (Delhi) border or where murders were taking place. It is clear that this has been done as elections are drawing closer."

Earlier, she tweeted, "Now, sensing defeat in the polls, you have suddenly started to realise the reality of this country -- this country has been built by farmers, it is a country of farmers, they are the real protectors of the country and no government can run the country by trampling upon the interests of the farmers."

She agreed with farmers on continuing their agitation even after the PM's announcement, claiming the government's stand keep on changing. "They should first repeal the laws properly."

"The laws have not been repealed yet. The people of India are extremely wise. No one is wiser than farmers as they know what is good for them and they have seen what this government has done," she said. She claimed that the government worked at weakening farmers over the past seven years to ensure that agriculture is handed over to industrialists.

On the PM's assertion that the government failed to convince a section of the farmers, she said, "The government is still trying to differentiate between farmers, trying to say that those agitating are different from other. But it is totally wrong." "All farmers of the country are together in this as all are facing problems of one kind or the other," she said.

Also Read: Farmers' union welcomes Centre's decision to repeal farm laws

When asked about political parties claiming credit for the development, she said they only supported the agitation. "This is an agitation by farmers for their rights. They were fighting and it was the farmers who sacrificed their lives." Many farmers have been camping at Delhi's borders since last year demanding the repeal of the three laws which they claim will leave them at the mercy of private companies. The Centre maintained that the laws are pro-farmer and give them more options to sell their crops.

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