Congress to submit two crore signatures to President against farm laws, seek his intervention

A Congress delegation led by party leader Rahul Gandhi will meet President Ram Nath Kovind on December 24 and submit around two crore signatures to him against the new farm laws.

The delegation, which will include party leaders and MPs, will seek his intervention for "annulling the three black laws".

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said in a statement that the Congress had launched a nationwide campaign for collecting memoranda of appeals addressed to the President signed by the farmers, farm labourers and other stakeholders opposing these legislations right from the initial stage of introduction of these bills in the Parliament.

"Around two crore signatures, urging the intervention from Rashtrapatiji for withdrawal of the three legislations, have been collected till now," he said.

Venugopal said that lakhs of India's farmers have been on protest in freezing weather against the "three blatantly anti-agriculture laws".

He alleged that the laws were aimed at "bartering their interests in the hands of select crony capitalist friends of Modi Government" and farmers "have been blocked" from entering Delhi for last 27 days despite prior notice and peaceful intent.

"The three anti-farmers legislation have caused immense pain and anguish among the farmers and farm labour across India. The farmers have been agitating requesting the government to annul these. Since last few days, they are sitting on an indefinite strike against these laws," he said.

The statement said 44 farmers have already lost their lives during the ongoing protests.

It said Rahul Gandhi has led the party's protests and he and Congress leaders undertook 'Tractor Yatra' across Punjab and Haryana as also in different states.

Venugopal said Congress along with other political parties had vehemently opposed the bills inside and outside the Parliament.

He alleged the government has also been "on an overdrive using public money to create false propaganda and narrative" in favour of the farm laws.

"The arrogant Modi government having initially duped the farmers' group by putting on a conciliatory face, soon made its intransigence apparent. It is pushing manufactured surveys in media discourse to create support in favour of these anti-farmer laws," he alleged.

Venugopal also alleged that the government has chosen "to brazenly defame, discredit and eventually tire out the lakhs of protesting farmers".

( With inputs from ANI )