Farmers Protest: Priyanka Gandhi Slams Modi Govt For Stopping Protesters At Delhi Border

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.

Priyanka slammed BJP government and asked why were the farmers stopped from coming to Delhi. (File Photo/ PTI)

New 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.

क्या कारण है कि किसानों को दिल्ली आकर अपनी माँग उठाने से रोक दिया जाता है? भाजपा सरकार अपने प्रचार में तो किसानों की भलाई बताती फिरती है?

फिर जब उप्र का किसान कहता है कि उन्हें गन्ने का बकाया चाहिए, कर्जमाफी और बिजली के दाम में कटौती चाहिए तो उन्हें बोलने क्यों नहीं दिया जाता? — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 21, 2019

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.

"Barricading has been done all over with a heavy deployment of security personnel. We were asked to wait here as some officials wants to talk to us. We are waiting though we haven't been informed who will speak to us and when," said Rajendra Yadav, Uttar Pradesh in-charge of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangathan, the body organising the march told news agency IANS.

Blaming the BJP at the Centre and the state for the poor condition of the farm sector as well as the farmers, the Sanghathan has put forward a list of 15 demands. "We are demanding waiver of all loans on farmers, payment of all sugarcane crop dues within 14 days and implementation of all suggestions of the Swaminathan Committee report," had said Yadav.

The farmers are also demanding free health and education for all, a High Court bench in Western Uttar Pradesh, an audit of the power companies by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, an end to the pension of the MPs and MLAs, and a ban on pollution of rivers and punishment for those who do it.