BJP attacked the foundation of agrarian economy through three 'black laws': Sonia Gandhi

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government attacked the foundation of the country's agrarian economy by bringing in three anti-agriculture "black laws".

She was speaking at a meeting here with General Secretaries and state in-charges of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

"The current BJP government has attacked the very foundation of our resilient agrarian economy by bringing in three anti-agriculture black laws. A conspiracy has been hatched to defeat the gains of the Green Revolution. Lives and livelihoods of crores of farm labourers, leasehold farmers, small and marginal farmers, toiling labourers and small shopkeepers are under attack. It is our duty to join hands to defeat this conspiracy," Sonia Gandhi said.

The Congress interim president further attacked the government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis.

"The country was pushed into the abyss of corona pandemic by sheer ineptitude and mismanagement of Modi government. All this happened as we witnessed the biggest unplanned, unmanaged and cruel migration of crores of migrant labourers as the government remained a mute spectator to their miseries. The stark truth is that a Prime Minister, who promised to defeat Corona within 21 days, has abdicated his and his government's responsibility towards the citizens. There is neither a plan nor strategic thinking, solution or way ahead in the fight against Corona," she said.

In a scathing criticism of the government, Sonia Gandhi said that the BJP government has demolished the economy which was built by the hard work of Indians and successive Congress governments.

"Never has the country witnessed such a free-fall in GDP as also all other economic indices. Today, the young have no jobs. Nearly 14 crore jobs have been lost. Small and medium businesses, small shopkeepers and other small enterprises are shutting at an unprecedented pace, yet an uncaring government remains a mute spectator," she said.

"So much so, the Government of India is now failing to honour even its Constitutional responsibilities. The share of GST compensation is being denied to the states. How will the state governments help our people, if the central government was to renege on its constitutional obligations? This must be a first example of economic anarchy being spread by the central government," she added.

She further said: "Atrocities on Dalits have reached a new zenith. Instead of honouring the law and granting adequate protection to India's daughters, BJP governments are siding with the criminals. The voice of oppressed families is being suppressed by the agencies of the State. Is this the new 'Raj Dharma'?"

( With inputs from ANI )