Modi government a curse for farmers: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge

Mallikarjun Kharge. Pic/PTI

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and described the government as a 'curse' for the country's farmers, reported ANI.

Kharge also accused the Modi government of treating farmers like enemies. Kharge asserted that only the Congress party can provide farmers with the legal right to a Minimum Support Price (MSP), reported ANI.

"The Modi government is a curse for the country's food-providing farmers. Due to the continuous false 'Modi's Guarantee', the first 750 farmers lost their lives and now, yesterday, 1 farmer has been martyred and 3 have lost their eyesight due to rubber bullets. The Modi government has treated farmers like enemies, Only Congress will give them the legal right of MSP!" he said in a post on 'X'.

The security forces deployed at the Shambhu Border continued to resist the agitating farmers attempting to enter the national capital as the protests entered the fifth day on Saturday.

Hundreds of farmers and some journalists have been injured as the protestors clashed with the police many a time trying to break the multi-layer barricades, reported ANI.

The protesting farmers have been camping at the border points since the start of the March on Tuesday, February 13, reported ANI.

A third round of talks with the central government ended in a stalemate on Thursday, amid the standoff between the protestors and security personnel on the Punjab-Haryana border. There will be another round of talks on Sunday, reported ANI.

The 'Delhi Chalo' march call has been given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha to press the BJP-led Centre to accept their demands.

The farmers have put forth 12 demands before the central government for which they're marching to Delhi. The protest this time has been called by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee led by farmer union leaders Jagjeet Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher, reported ANI.

According to the protesting farmers, the Centre promised them better crop prices, after which they ended the 2021 protest. They are demanding to enact a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for all crops, in line with the Swaminathan Commission report.

They are also demanding a complete debt waiver and a scheme to provide pensions to farmers and farm labourers.

(With inputs from ANI)