Jantar Mantar Protest: 14 Opposition Parties Visit 'Kisan Sansad' To Support Protesting Farmers

Opposition parties arrived at Jantar Mantar to extend their support to the ongoing demonstration against farmers' three agri laws.

Rahul Gandhi at Jantar Mantar. (Image: PTI)

Jantar Mantar Protest: MPs sitting in the Parliament were seen sitting in the audience gallery of the Kisan Sansad earlier in the day. According to reports, 14 opposition MPs, including some from the Congress, left the National Parliament today and reached Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to support the protesting farmers.

All these opposition parties had come to Jantar Mantar in support of ongoing protests against farm bill passed by the Centre. The farmers welcomed these MPs and accommodated them in the visitors' gallery.

At 12:30 pm today, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi along with Congress MPs and MPs from several opposition parties left Parliament and boarded a bus to Jantar Mantar. Rahul Gandhi himself accompanied the other MPs in the bus.

Jantar Mantar is where the farmers have organised 'Kisan Sansad' in protest of the new agricultural laws. All these 14 opposition parties and leaders had come to extend their support to the farmers' demonstration.

Members of Congress, DMK, NCP, Shiv Sena, RJD, Samajwadi Party, CPI (M), CPI, IUML, RSP, National Conference party attended the Kisan Sansad at Jantar Mantar. For about an hour, these MPs sat in the audience gallery and listened to the farmers. No leader was given a place on the stage or a chance to speak, something which was pre-decided. 

Congress leader Dipendra Hooda said that the Kisan Sansad is a proof of the strength of the farmers of the country. All the opposition MPs watched the proceedings of the Farmers' Parliament. Once again, I demand the government to come to Jantar Mantar and listen to the farmers' demands, he said. We would not listen to your voice or abide by your rules in the Parliament, if you would not listen and adhere to the Farmers' demands.

He said 'An entire session of the Parliament has passed, but whenever I have tried to talk about farmers, I have been made to stay quiet. This government loathes farmers to an extent that they don't even want to hear about them.' Congress leader Shakti Singh Gohil said that the Parliament belongs to the farmers too. He added that if any farmer visits the parliament, he too would be welcomed and made to sit in the Visitors Gallery. This is their Parliament too. According to Congress MPs, the government is neither discussing the issue of Farmers' in the Parliament nor allowing anyone else to speak on it.

Farmers' Parliament is being held at Jantar Mantar by United Kisan Morcha. Meanwhile, both the Houses have been in a deadlock since the monsoon session of Parliament over agricultural laws along with a number of other issues. Aam Aadmi Party and TMC MPs did not participate in this event today. Farmers Parliament has been running since July 19, the day since the Parliament session began.