Is nation not understanding that polls are approaching: Priyanka Gandhi

Priyanka Gandhi questioned the Centre for being silent when farmers were called as Aandolanjeevi', goons, terrorists and traitors

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday claimed that the Central government took the decision to repeal the three farms laws due to approaching assembly elections and questioned the Centre for being silent when farmers were called as Aandolanjeevi', goons, terrorists and traitors.

Addressing a media in Lucknow, the Congress general secretary said that the government can see in the surveys that the situation is not right so that they have come to apologise before polls.

"Why is he doing this? Is the nation not understanding that polls are approaching & they might've felt that situation isn't right. They can see in surveys that the situation is not right. So, they have come to apologise before polls," said Priyanka.

She further slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being silent when the BJP leaders called farmers 'Aandolanjeevi', goons, terrorists and traitors.

"What did the leaders of the government not call the farmers? 'Aandolanjeevi', goons, terrorists, traitors - who called them all this? Why was the PM silent when all of this was being said? He himself uttered the word 'aandolanjeevi'," she added.

The Congress leader further said that she is happy that the government understood that nobody is bigger than farmers in this nation.

"When farmers were being killed, batons were being used and they were being arrested -who was doing it? Your govt. Today you say that the laws will be repealed. How are we going to trust you? I am happy that the government understood that nobody is bigger than farmers in this nation," she further said.

In a major move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced the repealing of the three Central farm laws. In his address to the nation, PM Modi said, "Today I want to tell everyone that we have decided to repeal all three farm laws."

Farmers have been protesting the Centre's three farm laws since they were passed in 2020.

The three farm laws are -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act provides for setting up a mechanism allowing the farmers to sell their farm produces outside the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs).

Any licence-holder trader can buy the produce from the farmers at mutually agreed prices. This trade of farm produces will be free of mandi tax imposed by the state governments.The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act allows farmers to do contract farming and market their produces freely.

The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act is an amendment to the existing Essential Commodities Act.

The assembly elections are due in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa is early next year.