Farmers Protest: Priyanka Gandhi Slams Modi Govt

By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 21, Sep 2019, 20:53 pm IST | UPDATED: 21, Sep 2019, 20:53 pm IST

Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday teared into Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Centre after a farmers' rally was not allowed to enter the national capital earlier in the day. Farmers had started the march from Saharanpur in UP on September 11 to present their demands, like loan waiver and settlement of sugarcane arrears. However, they were stopped at the Ghazipur border.

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Priyanka slammed BJP government and asked why were the farmers stopped from coming to Delhi to raise their demands? "What's the reason that farmers are stopped from coming to Delhi to raise their demands? The BJP government always talks about farmers' welfare at its rallies. So, when UP farmers say they need sugarcane arrears, loan waivers and reduction in cost of electricity, why aren't they allowed to speak?," she tweeted in Hindi.

The farmers later concluded the march after meeting the government officials. As per sources, the central government agreed to five of their 15 demands. Heavy police deployment and barricading on the border near Ghazipur in New Delhi prevented thousands of farmers from marching into the city demanding loan waiver, settlement of dues for sugarcane crop and pension.

The farmers march had started from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh on September 11 and was expected to converge at the Kisan Ghat in Delhi on Saturday. However, the protesters were stopped at the border.