Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s rally against the recently passed farm bills, called the Kheti Bachao Yatra, began in Punjab on Sunday, 4 October. His visit to the state, which is being carried out to extend support to the agitating farmers of the state, was postponed due to his visit to the Hathras ‘gang-rape and murder’ victim.
A Punjab Congress spokesperson said his rally will cover more than 50 kilometres, starting from Moga to Patiala, till 6 October, according to a Hindustan Times report. The report also added that the rally would begin at 11:00 am everyday and adhere to the COVID-19 regulations put forth by the government,
What Rahul Gandhi Said
While speaking in Moga, Gandhi asked, “What was the need to implement these laws amid COVID-19? What was the haste? If you had to implement you should've discussed in Lok Sabha-Rajya Sabha.” He also asked if the laws were indeed being drafted why they were not discussed openly in the House?
ANI also reported that Gandhi said, “If farmers are happy with these laws, then why are they protesting across the nation? Why is every farmer in Punjab protesting?”
More About This Thee-Day Rally
Other than Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, several MPs and MLAs are expected to take part in the rally. So will Harish Rawat, who is Congress general secretary in-charge of party affairs in Punjab.
The Congress party is protesting against three farm laws – The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Service Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 – passed by Parliament during its Monsoon Session.
The Schedule
On the first day, the protests shall begin with a public meeting at Badni Kalan in Nihal Singh Wala in Moga. The day is scheduled to end at a public meeting in Raikot and will cover a distance of over 20 kilometres.
On the second day, 5 October, the party will cover the same distance while visiting areas in Sangrur district, Patiala district, with receptions held at Fatehgarh Channa and Bahmna.
On the third and last day, 6 October, the rally will start at Patiala and enter Haryana by the end of the day for a series of programmes. While the opposition in Haryana is working on turning this rally by Gandhi a big show of strength for the state’s farmers, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij Saturday has reiterated Gandhi will not be allowed to enter the state if he leads a protest march, The Indian Express reported.
"We have nothing to do what he (Rahul) does in Punjab, but we won’t let him enter Haryana. Earlier too, the Punjab government tried to spoil the peace in Haryana by gathering crowds twice but we did not allow them to do it," Vij said in a statement.
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