In support of farmers’: agitation Cong holds sit-in, symbolic fast in Gandhinagar

Gujarat Congress leaders stage a sit-in at Satyagrah Chhavani ground in Gandhinagar on Sunday. (Express Photo)

Lending their support to the ongoing farmers’ agitation against the recently introduced farm bills, the Gujarat Congress on Sunday organised a one-day symbolic fast and sit-in at Gandhinagar.

Headed by Member of Parliament (MP) and Gujarat Congress in-charge, Rajeev Satav, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Chavda, GPCC working president Hardik Patel, and former GPCC presidents Bharatsinh Solanki and Arjun Modhwadia, the Congress leaders alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre was behaving in a dictatorial manner with the farmers of India.

“The Congress party has been saying since day one that the BJP has been working with the intent of finishing the farm sector… and benefit their corporate friends… it was clear by the manner in which the new bill was tabled in the Parliament in August. We have been saying that a time has come again when the government is behaving as British East India Company which used our country’s resources to fill its own coffers…,” said Chavda.

“The farmers started walking towards Delhi on foot to seek their rights… Even in severe cold weather, the farmers have been sitting on roads… The BJP government, instead of listening to their woes, have been replying to them with batons, tear gas and water cannons. To support our farmers, we have decided to keep one-day symbolic fast,” said Chavda.

The Gandhinagar police had given permission to Congress party was to stage a sit-in at the Satyagrah Chhavni ground at Sector 6 of Gandhinagar, with a maximum participation of 50 persons. Former Union minister and former GPCC president Bharatsinh Solanki, who fought a long battle with Covid-19, appeared on a public platform for the first time after recovery.

“I am thankful for your wishes and the new life granted to me… I dedicate it to you all and the Congress party. We have kept this fast on the occasion of punya tithi (death anniversary) of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and I would like to remember the great men and women who sacrficed their lives for India to become a democracy. Looking at the situation of India that the BJP has brought in, a question comes to mind — had these great people given us freedom and democracy to only win elections and get power? We must support the cause of our farmers,” said Solanki. Hardik Patel tweeted every Congress member will keep fighting for the “respect of our farmers”. He added, “We are not against the corporates but are friends of farmers (sic)”.

© The Indian Express (P) Ltd