India News | PM's Farm Law Repeal on Indira Gandhi Birth Anniversary Marks Success for Cong: Chellakumar
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The Congress on Friday attempted to gain mileage from the Centre's decision to repeal farm laws as it stated that the announcement came on former prime minister Indira Gandhi's birth anniversary, marking a victory for his party alongside the country's farmers.
Bhubaneswar, Nov 19 (PTI) The Congress on Friday attempted to gain mileage from the Centre's decision to repeal farm laws as it stated that the announcement came on former prime minister Indira Gandhi's birth anniversary, marking a victory for his party alongside the country's farmers.
Also Read | Punjab Shocker: Teenager Dies By Suicide in Ludhiana; Her Uncle Booked for Abetment.
Odisha Congress in-charge A Chellakumar, during a meeting here, also said that the battle against the contentious laws by farmers over the past year has finally borne fruit.
"On the birth anniversary of late prime minister Indira Gandhiji, the announcement for withdrawal of three anti-farmer laws was made. It is a victory for the Congress, which had been opposing the legislations. The credit for the battle and the struggle that led to the revocation of the laws has to go to the farmers," he pointed out.
Over 700 lives were lost during the course of the agitation, Chellakumar noted.
"All these deaths were not taken into account by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is only after the BJP lost assembly and parliamentary seats in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan, the Centre decided to withdraw anti-farmer laws”, he said.
The Congress leader further stated that it was a "well-known fact" the decision was made with an eye on the upcoming assembly elections.
"The Congress, right from the top brass to the grassroots, has stood by the farmers and fought for their cause. If Narendra Modi would have understood the plight of farmers, we would not have lost so many valuable lives," he iterated.
Echoing him, Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik said farmers, with their determination and courage, have fought for their cause till the end and won over “arrogance”.
Taking to Twitter, he said, "Our farmers, including thousands of those from Odisha have fought against BJP's three anti-farmer laws for over a year. Today, because of the determination & courage of farmers, and the support of @RahulGandhi & @INCIndia, farmers have won. India has won."
In a similar vein, the state unit of the Samajwadi Party said electoral defeats in 29 seats of 11 states, particularly the drubbing in Hindi heartland, first forced the Modi government to rollback prices of petrol and diesel, and now "fear of losing elections in five states" prompted the Centre to withdraw the "anti-farmer, pro-corporate” agricultural laws.
“Unless and until MSP laws are framed and measures taken to control price rise, farmers will continue their movement," the SP's Odisha unit president, Rabi Behera, claimed.
Meanwhile, the state unit of Samyukt Kissan Morcha held a rally at Master Canteen Square in Bhubaneswar, welcoming the PM's announcement, while also seeking proper MSP on agricultural produce.
The morcha will hold a convention of farmers and workers on November26, said its leader Suresh Panigrahi.
(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)