Scores of farmers affiliated with the All India Kisan Congress gathered at the Jantar Mantar here on Friday, demanding legal guarantee for MSP and compensation for the kin of farmers killed in last year's agitation against the Centre's three farm laws.
Thousands of farmers, particularly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, protested at the borders of the national capital for over a year, demanding the repeal of the three farm laws. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced repealing the three laws in November.
The Congress' unit for farmers on Friday accused the BJP-led central government of not cooperating with the farmers and reneging on its promises made to them following which, the year-long stir at Delhi borders was suspended.
Addressing a sea of protestors amid heavy security, Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala criticised the Modi government for failing to fulfil the promises it has made to the farmers last year.
He called the Narendra Modi-led government "anti-farmer".
"It is because of the anti-farmer approach of the Modi government. This is one of the reasons why they find it difficult to implement MSP," he said.
"This protest should not be limited to Jantar Mantar. We should take it forward and fight for the rights of farmers, who feed the nation," he added.
"Even though Congress has lost the election it has not lost the courage to fight. Modi government has failed to deliver on the promise of implementing a MSP law," party leader Alka Lamba said.
Speaking to PTI, Hargobind Singh, joint coordinator of the AIKC, said, "Central government is neither cooperating with the farmers nor addressing their issues. It has been over a year since the anti-farm laws protest ended, but the government's promise of ensuring MSP to farmers has not been fulfilled yet." "The centre should immediately release the compensation for the families of farmers who sacrificed their lives while fighting for their rights. It is unfortunate that the Centre does not even have the list of those who lost their lives during the protest. How will they even release the compensation?" he asked.
"The Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme must be implemented soon. The country still does not have a proper law for farmers which can directly benefit them," he added.
Holding the Congress party's flag and raising slogans of "jai jawan, jai kisan", farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and some southern states gathered at the 18th-century observatory.
The farmers said they are protesting against the BJP government's "anti-farmers policies".
Dileep Singh, who hails from Punjab, asserted that the farmers should get their due rights.
"We have come here to protest against the Modi government and its anti-farmers policies. Farmers are being suppressed under this regime. We have gathered here for our rights. We believe that farmers should get their due rights." Kailash Yadav, who has come from Jaipur, said, "We are here to strengthen the farmers' movement. We are here in solidarity with our farmers who have been facing many problems under the present government." "We are not getting proper MSP and we were told that our salary would double but nothing of this sort has happened," he added.
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