NEW DELHI: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday joined a protest march here to show solidarity with the protesting farmers, and walked towards Raj Niwas which houses the residence and office of Delhi’s Lt. Governor.
Later, both went to Jantar Mantar and joined the ongoing protest of the Punjab MPs against the newly passed farm laws.
Speaking on the occasion, Rahul Gandhi said: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not respect the farmers… the party is with farmers in support of them till these laws are withdrawn.”
Slamming the BJP, the Congress leader said the government is working for businessmen and these laws are not in favour of the farmers.
The Congress has been opposing these farm laws for long. They were passed in Parliament after the Congress MPs were suspended along with MPs from the TMC.
The Congress on Friday staged protests at all Raj Bhavans (Governor’s House) across the country and demanded the withdrawal of the farm laws.
In Delhi also a Congress march was taken out against the contentious farm laws.
The party has been demanding the repeal of the laws by the Centre, as demanded by the farmers’ unions who have been on the streets near the borders of Delhi for more than 50 days.
The Congress workers assembled near the Chandgi Ram Akhara and marched towards LG House. They were, however, stopped midway by the police.
In Uttar Pradesh too, state party president Ajay Kumar Lallu and several Congress workers were detained on Friday as they attempted to march towards Raj Bhavan to observe ‘Kisan Adhikar Diwas’.
Scuffles between Congress workers and the police were reported from other places as well as party workers attempted to reach the Raj Bhavans.
Ajay Kumar Lallu said that the Yogi Adityanath government of Uttar Pradesh was infringing on their democratic right to hold a peaceful protest.
“The Congress will continue its fight against this kind of oppression,” he said.