Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s three-day Punjab ‘Kheti Bachao Yatra’ in Punjab culminated on Tuesday at the border along Haryana, after hours of high drama at the border between two states.
Rahul, after winding up his last rally at Sanaur in Patiala, himself drove the tractor to reach the Haryana border along with Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar, party’s national general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat, besides a number of Congress workers. However, the Haryana Police stopped the procession on the highway near Teokar village in Pehowa for an hour.
The senior Haryana police officials at the spot made it clear that they would not allow more than 100 people to gather at one place, as per the guidelines in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, Rahul and a few Congress leaders were allowed to enter Haryana.
Earlier, Rahul, along with Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, vowed to not budge even an inch from their principled stand in support of the farmers, who were under attack by the Centre’s “draconian” farm laws.
Rahul, as a public rally at Francewala village near Sanaur in Patiala district – the final point of the tractor rally of the Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary Harish Rawat and Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar, lashed out at the BJP-led Central Government for inflicting atrocities upon atrocities on the people of all sections in the past six years.
“The poor have become poorer and the rich are getting richer,” he said, slamming the Prime Minister Narendra Modi of serving the interests of corporate houses at the cost of those of small businessmen, farmers, arhtiyas, and farm labour.
“But the farmers would die rather than bow their heads before these unjust and barbaric laws,” said Rahul, adding that the mandi and procurement system, which the Farm Laws would destroy, was the protective shield for the farming community.
These laws would make farmers bonded labourers in the hands of Ambani and Adani, said Rahul, calling upon the farmers to act so that they don’t have to repent later.
“This is not a fight only for Punjab but for the entire country,” said Rahul, warning that once these laws are implemented, farmers would not be able to knock at the doors of Administration for help. “Do you need such a system where shopping malls are constructed while farmers die of starvation?” he asked, adding that he will now allow this to happen.
Capt Amarinder said that farmers all over the country have risen up against the Modi regime and warned that “these oppressors will be decimated in the next elections.”
“If the farmers are really happy with these laws, as the Modi Government claims, then why are they out on the streets protesting?” he asked, asserting that till these laws are rolled back, Punjab’s war against them will continue. This is a fight for ‘roti’ as 65 percent of the country's population thrives on agriculture, he said, extending his full support to the farmers.
Equating Modi with the British, AICC general secretary and in-charge Punjab affairs Harish Rawat said that just as the atrocities of the British empire failed to dampen the spirit of the Gandhi family, Modi also would not be able to do so.
Calling Rahul Gandhi the future of the country, Rawat said that only he can give a befitting response to the Modi Government.
Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar said that the day the farmers’ destinies went into the hands of corporate giants, the PDS system and the mandi system would be finished, with devastating effect on the farming community and the poor. “The farm laws would turn farmers into daily wagers,” said Jakhar, lashing out at the Akalis, whom he branded agents of Modi.