Congress plans farmers' protests in every state in Jan

After Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh waived off farm loans, the Congress is all set to step up heat on the Modi government over the issue of agrarian distress by organising farmers' protests in every state capital beginning next month.

Farm distress and vanishing jobs have emerged as the key issues that would dominate the Lok Sabha elections campaign next year and the Congress has drawn up elaborate plans to corner the Modi government on the twin issues.

“We will organise farmers' protests in every state capital beginning January,” Nana Patole, Chairman of the Kisan, Khet Mazdoor Congress, told DH.

Patole said that the state rallies would be followed by big protest demonstration in the Delhi in February which will be attended by Congress President Rahul Gandhi and leaders of major opposition parties.

Patole is in touch with more than 100 farmers' organisations that were mobilised for a massive protest in the national capital last month.

Patole, a former Lok Sabha member from Bhandara-Gondia in Maharashtra, quit the BJP last year after a verbal spat with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He joined the Congress soon after and was made the Chairman of the farmers' cell of the party.

After the chief ministers of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh waived off farm loans within days of assuming office, the Congress President stepped up pressure on the Modi government.

“We won't let Modi sleep or rest or sit in peace until we make him waive farmers' loans,” Rahul had said last week virtually pitching agrarian distress as the key issue for the Lok Sabha elections next year.

Patole said the Congress would remind Modi of the promises he had made during the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and seek an explanation from him on why the same were not fulfilled.