While farmer leaders told the government their ghar wapsi from protest sites at Delhi borders can happen only after law wapsi , the Centre insisted talks must be limited to contentious clauses and ruled out a complete withdrawal of Acts.
Hitting out at the Centre, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, The Modi government has proved to be the most inhuman, arrogant and ruthless in the history of India. It can neither see the farmers dying due to the cold every day nor the economy coming to a standstill. It is trying to tire out the annadata by playing the game of meetings with the farmers. But the farmer will neither tire out nor bow down and will not stop, he said in a tweet in Hindi.
The Congress also stepped up the offensive against the government by launching an online campaign in support of the farmers agitation, with party leader Rahul Gandhi accusing the government of betraying the farmers for benefitting their corporate friends .
Priyanka met them at her brother and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi s residence. The MPs Ravneet Singh Bittu, Jasbir Singh Dimpa and others have been protesting at Jantar Mantar since December 7. Many Congress leaders, including Shashi Tharoor and Salman Khurshid have joined their protest to show solidarity with them. Congress MP Jasbir Singh Gill Dimpa said: We will sit here till the farmers protest against the new farm laws continues. The government should withdraw the new farm laws and look into their demands and resolve the matter. Gurjit Singh Aujla said: The Punjab Congress is with farmers from day one and it is our responsibility to support the farmers. the protest will continue till the government takes back its decisions.
Farmers leaders hold hands to show solidarity as they arrive for the eighth round of talks with the government at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Friday.
NEW DELHI: The eighth round of talks on Friday between the government and the farmers protesting against the three contentious agri laws for over a month now failed to break the deadlock between the two sides. While the farmers stuck to their demand of repeal of the legislation enacted by Parliament in the monsoon session last year, the government appeared firm on not acceding to their demand. However, the only silver lining was that the two sides agreed to meet again on January 15.