New Delhi: To “celebrate” the Centre’s decision to repeal all three Union farm laws, the Congress has decided to observe ‘Kisan Vijay Diwas’ today (Saturday, November 20) as well as organize a ‘victory rally’ across the country. This is looked upon as many the party’s attempt to shift its political strategy on the issue of farmers’ protest.
In an official statement, the party welcomed the decision of the BJP-led central government said termed it is as a “victory of the farmers.””The victory is dedicated to all the Annadatas of our country, in recognition of their consistent and spirited fight against the flawed decisions of the tyrannical government and will be observed by the Indian National Congress as ‘Kisan Vijay Diwas’, on November 20, 2021,” read the statement.
After the rollback of petrol and diesel prices across the country, the repeal of farm laws is the second major decision that the Central government has taken after a mass protest by general public.
The celebration on the repeal of all three farm laws by the Central government is an attempt to reach out to the people and a ‘Kisan victory rally’ will be organised. All Congress state unit presidents have given instructions to all party workers right from the district to the block level to celebrate the Kisan Vijay Diwas.
Pradesh Congress Committees, District Committees and Block Committees will be holding press conferences marking the victory of the farmer`s struggle and the repeal of the laws. Kisan Vijay Rallies/Kisan Vijay Sabhas will be organised on behalf of the farmers at state and district headquarters,” the party said.
Earlier, from November 14, the Congress had decided to run a ;Jan Jagran Abhiyan’ (public awareness campaign) against the policies of the Modi government across the country. Congress had started this campaign on various issues such as hike in petrol-diesel prices, unemployment, inflation etc.
The Congress had decided to hold on foot marches and processions by party leaders and workers on similar lines of the ‘Dandi March’ undertaken by Mahatma Gandhi against the British. The Congress is now making preparations to force the Central government to withdraw all three farm laws in the Parliament. For this, the Congress leaders will reach out to the people demanding the Union government to assure that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops, loan waiver, removal of GST from agriculture sector and other important issues.
After the withdrawal of all three farm laws, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said, “After nearly 12 months of peaceful protests, today the struggle and will power of 62 crore ‘Annadatas’, farmers and farm labourers of the country have finally won. Today the sacrifices of more than 700 farmers’ families paid off, whose family members sacrificed their lives in this struggle for truth, justice and non-violence which ultimately won. I hope that farmers will pay attention to implementation of welfare policies, ensure crop produce at MSP rates and that before taking any such step by the Union government in future, all state governments, farmer organizations and opposition parties will be taken into consideration.”
Farmers had been protesting at different sites since November 26 last year against the three enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Farmer leaders and the Centre held several rounds of talks in the past but the impasse remained, until it was decided yesterday (November 19) to repeal the farm laws with constitutional measures, which PM Modi said will begin in the Winter session of Parliament which is likely to commence from November 29.
(With Agency inputs)
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