Sonia Gandhi to hold meeting with Congress leaders on farmers' issue

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi will hold a meeting on Saturday with party general secretaries and in-charges in connection with the ongoing farmers' agitation at the gates of Delhi.

According to sources, a virtual meeting has been called to discuss the situation and to chalk out a strategy to support farmer's protests. Congress has been in support of the farmers in their movement against the new farm laws enacted by the Centre in September.

Gandhi had earlier issued a statement that since Independence the current government has been the "most egoistic" government and had advised the Centre to repeal these laws and do "Raj Dharma".

Sources said that the Congress is planning to go aggressive against the central government over the farmers' agitation. They will hit the ground and reach out to the people across the country.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday told Congress leaders, protesting against the three controversial farm laws at different borders of the national capital, that nothing short of a repeal of the legislations was acceptable.

The eighth round of negotiations between the protesting farmer unions and the Centre held on Friday remained inconclusive, and the next round of meeting will be held on January 15.

Farmers have been protesting at different borders here since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.