Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday slammed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led NDA government over the ongoing farmer’s protest near the border of the National Capital. He accused the government of mishandling the protest situation, resulting in causalities and damage to the lives of the farmers. Expressing dissent on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Kharge wrote, “Modi government is a curse for the farmers of the country.”
He highlighted the BJP’s strategies as false claims and fake promises, terming them “false Modi guarantees.” Kharge emphasised that the centre’s wrongdoings have claimed 750 lives during the past. “First 750 farmers lost their lives, and now yesterday 1 farmer was martyred,” he added.
देश के अन्नदाता किसानों के लिए मोदी सरकार अभि़शाप है।
लगातार झूठी ‘मोदी की गारंटी’ के चलते ही पहले 750 किसानों की जान गई और अब कल 1 किसान ने शहादत दी और 3 रबर बुलेट से अपनी आँखों की रोशनी खो बैठे हैं।
मोदी सरकार ने किसानों से किया दुश्मनों जैसा व्यवहार,
केवल कांग्रेस… pic.twitter.com/v0zKfzX7OW
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) February 17, 2024
The ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, initiated by farmers primarily from Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh on February 13th, aimed to exert pressure on the Centre to address their demands. Since the march’s inception, numerous reports have surfaced, alleging police atrocities against the farmers.
Kharge’s recent tweet added fuel to the fire, asserting that rubber bullets used by the police had resulted in three farmers losing their eyesight. He accused the Modi government of treating farmers as enemies, proclaiming, “Only Congress will secure them the legal right of MSP!”
Kharge’s remarks are strategically timed, coinciding with the approaching Lok Sabha election, where the Congress party is actively vying for public attention. His declaration reflects the party’s commitment to championing the cause of farmers, particularly by advocating for the legal recognition of the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Meanwhile, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), led by Rakesh Tikait, today held a Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. The congregation is claimed to be an effort to garner support from the farmers of neighbouring states.
The protest by farmers continued for the fifth day, as thousands of farmers reached Delhi on February 13th for the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to seek a guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) for the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, among other demands.