Chandigarh, Dec 9 (PTI) Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja and Indian National Lok Dal leader Abhay Singh Chautala on Wednesday met protesting farmers separately at Tikri border and said the entire country stands behind them against the Centre's new farm laws.

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Selja, who had on Monday met farmers near Singhu border, extended full support to their agitation.

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Chautala, the lone INLD MLA in Haryana assembly, on Wednesday said he would be the first to resign if the farmers seek resignation of all elected representatives.

“If farmers' organisations say that all politicians elected to the Lok Sabha or the Vidhan Sabha with their help and votes should tender resignation and stand with them, Abhay will be the first to resign,” he told reporters after meeting farmers.

“If the central government's intent is clear, it should rollback the three black laws, which are like a death warrant for the farmers,” he added.

Abhay Chautala also accused the BJP government of trying “to weaken farmers' agitation” and “benefit their capitalist friends” by “keeping the issue lingering on”.

Asked about Haryana authorities' earlier efforts to stop farmers from proceeding to the national capital as part of their “Delhi Chalo” call, Chautala said, “Delhi belongs to farmers too. It is not anyone's fiefdom. If farmers stop milk, vegetable and food grain supply to Delhi, those sitting in power at the Centre, will realise within hours what they are doing”.

Interacting with farmers, Kumari Selja said, "It is extremely unfortunate that the 'annadata' (farmers) of our country are compelled to agitate on roads in this cold weather, but the central government is adamant on its stand."

"The government should immediately repeal these black laws," she added.

Selja, a former Union minister, alleged, "The BJP-led government at the Centre is adopting a dictatorial attitude. It neither heard the opposition's voice nor farmers' and imposed these black laws on the peasants".

Farmer leaders on Wednesday rejected a government proposal on the three agriculture-marketing laws and said they would intensify their agitation against the legislations with a nationwide protest on December 14.

The farmers continue to protest at several border points of Delhi, demanding that the government scrap all three laws.

The government has been defending these laws, saying they will benefit the farmers in the long run and raise their incomes.

Selja said history is testimony to the fact that farmers have brought change and revolution with their unshakable determination.

"The BJP government has launched a brutal attack on the soul of our agrarian country by suppressing farmers' rights and denying them their entitlements. This fight of farmers is a fight to save the country.

"The farmers' interests cannot be sacrificed to benefit capitalists. Today, the entire country stands with farmers against the anti-agriculture black laws of the BJP government," Selja said, as per a party statement.

Selja claimed the Congress party is “standing shoulder-to-shoulder with farmers”.

"The BJP government should give up its stubbornness and immediately repeal these black laws," she said.

At the Tikri border, Abhay Chautala, who is INLD' secretary-general, extended support to farmers' agitation.

While addressing farmers there, Chautala said, "Today I have not come here as a politician or an MLA, but I am here as a farmer."

He said the INLD had raised its voice when the government promulgated the three agricultural ordinances before they were introduced as bills.

Chautala said the 'Bharat Bandh' on December 8 was supported by all sections of the country "due to which it was a complete success".

"Today the 'annadatas' of the country wants to put their point before the government peacefully but the government, instead of listening to them, is forcing farmers to agitate,” he alleged.

He said the entire country stands behind farmers against the farm laws.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)