Rahul Gandhi Alleges Farmer Leaders Barred from Parliament, Calls for Fresh Protests

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi claimed that farmer leaders were barred from entering Parliament. He speculated that their status as farmers might be the reason. In response, protests are planned nationwide, including a tractor rally on August 15 and further rallies in September.

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday claimed that farmer leaders invited by him to the Parliament were denied entry. 'Jaane hi nhi daite kya karai. This is the issue...What should we do? It could be a technical issue also,' Gandhi told ANI.

Gandhi suggested that the leaders were possibly barred due to their status as farmers. 'We had invited them (farmer leaders) here to meet us. But they are not allowing them here (in Parliament). Because they are farmers, maybe this is the reason they are not allowing them in,' he added.

Gandhi was scheduled to meet a delegation of seven farmer leaders on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leaders announced on Monday that they would burn effigies of the Union government nationwide and launch fresh protests to demand legalizing the MSP guarantee.

As part of this movement, they will stage a 'long march' supporting private bills proposed by the opposition. The protest will also feature nationwide tractor rallies on August 15, coinciding with India's Independence Day, and burning copies of new criminal laws.

In a press conference, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leaders emphasized that the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march would reach its 200-day milestone on August 31. They appealed to the public to join them at Khanauri, Shambhu, and other locations on the Punjab and Haryana border. Rallies are scheduled in Haryana's Jind district on September 15, 2024, and in Pipli on September 22, 2024.

In February, the Haryana government erected barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi national highway after farmers announced plans to march to Delhi in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee of the minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Earlier this year, farmers' protest 2.0 was halted at Haryana's borders for several days. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)