Rahul Gandhi will hold a series of public meetings with farmers as part of the programme. (File)
New Delhi:
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will travel to Punjab today to participate in a protest against the new controversial farm laws.
The Congress MP from Kerala’s Wayanad will hold a series of public meetings with farmers in the state as part of the “Kheti Bachao Yatra” (Protect the agricultural sector), which is aimed to highlight the Congress’ stand against these laws that were cleared by the parliament last month amid fiery protests by the opposition.
He will also be holding a tractor rally as a part of the first day’s schedule of the three-day Yatra along with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar and other party leaders.
Shri @RahulGandhi will be holding tractor rally at Nihal Singh Wala, Jagraon & Raikot as per the first day’s schedule of Kheti Bachao Yatra along with CM @capt_amarinder, Punjab Affairs Incharge @harishrawatcmuk, PPCC President Sunil Jakhar & other leaders of the Congress Party. pic.twitter.com/46tLLQsWKK
– Punjab Congress (@INCPunjab) October 3, 2020
At 11 AM, Mr Gandhi is scheduled to hold a public meeting and launch a signature campaign at Badhni Kalan in Moga district, about 170 km from Chandigarh. He will then lead a “tractor rally” from Badhni Kalan to Jatpura. Rahul Gandhi will conclude the yatra at Jatpura, Ludhiana, where he will hold a public meeting at 3 pm.
Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Punjab comes days after Amarinder Singh held a sit-in against the farm laws.
Punjab and several other states have witnessed fierce protests by farmers in the last week over the three laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill – that were cleared by the President on Sunday.
While critics say farmers will lose bargaining powers with the entry of private players into the agricultural sector and they won’t get a minimum support price for their produce, the government has said the new laws will help small and marginal farmers.
