India News | 'Betraying' Farmers Amounts to Betraying Country: Congress Slams Govt

New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday expressed concern over the health of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on an indefinite hunger strike demanding MSP guarantee and loan waiver.

The former Congress chief said it is unfortunate that farmers are being forced to go on a hunger strike and protest repeatedly for their legitimate demands. He asserted that just as the Modi government was forced to withdraw the farm laws, it would be forced to accept the demands of farmers.

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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must understand that because of his "anti-farmer policies, stubbornness and false promises", the farmers pleading for justice from his government.

Farmers are self-respectful because they feed the country, he said.

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"This time, 'lathi-baazi', tear gas, rubber bullets, abusive words like 'andolanjeevi' and 'parjeevi' will not work," Kharge said.

"The deterioration in the health of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal is a matter of great concern and it is the constitutional responsibility of the government to end the fast unto death and adopt the path of dialogue," he said.

"When you were forced to withdraw the three black laws, you had announced the formation of a committee to give legal status to MSP, the whole country wants to know what happened to that promise? Do not forget that farmers are the backbone of the country and betraying them is betraying the country!" Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.

Gandhi said the government should end Dallewal's hunger strike through talks.

"It is unfortunate that farmers are being forced to go on hunger strike and protest again and again for their legitimate demands. Even after the martyrdom of more than 700 farmers, the government remains ruthless," he said.

Most of the demands, including MSP, have now been accepted by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, which includes leaders from all parties, he said.

"I have said it before and I repeat it again - just as the Modi government was forced to withdraw the farm laws, it will be forced to accept these demands. It would be better for the farmers and the country if it accepts them sooner rather than later," Gandhi said in his post in Hindi on X.

Dallewal's fast-unto-death entered the 25th day on Friday. On Thursday, he fell down and fainted for 8-10 minutes with doctors describing his condition as critical. The doctors said, "His life is hanging by a thread."

Doctors attending him at the Khanauri border protest site also said Dallewal is at risk of cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure.

Dallewal, 70, a cancer patient, has been protesting at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops.

The Supreme Court on Friday left it to the Punjab government officials and doctors to decide on the hospitalisation of Dallewal.

Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by the security forces.

The Haryana government set up the barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi National Highway in February after it was announced that the farmers would march to Delhi in support of their demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP for their produce.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)