Modi doing grave injustice to farmers: Sonia Gandhi

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of doing ‘grave injustice’ to farmers by implementing agri-reforms without consulting them.

Gandhi expressed the resolve to fight the farm sector reforms in a similar way the Congress had led the agitation against the land acquisition laws, which the Modi government had tried to push through the Ordinance route in 2015.

“Who will protect crores of small farmers when grain markets will cease to exist, hoarders will get a free hand to stock food grains and farmers’ land will be handed over to capitalists for cultivation,” the Congress President said in a statement here.

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Congress is observing Gandhi Jayanti as ‘Kisan-Mazdoor Bacho Diwas’ by organising protests against the farm sector reforms across all assembly constituencies.

“The future of farm labourers and tenancy farmers is linked to that of farmers. What will happen to small shopkeepers and workers in wholesale markets? Who will protect their rights? Has Modi government thought about this,” Gandhi asked.

She said the “black laws” were enacted without any consultations with the farmers and ignoring their interests completely.

“The anti-farmer black laws have been enacted after talking to select friends,” the Congress President said.

Congress has already asked state government, particularly those led by the party, to explore legal options to override the central laws.

The main opposition party has also circulated model draft legislation among chief ministers of Congress-ruled states which could be enacted to override the central laws.