Union govt has no intention of addressing farmers' concerns: Jairam Ramesh

Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said that though the farmers were allowed to hold Mahapanchayat at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital, the Union government has no intention to address the concerns raised by them.

"Earlier, farmers were treated with tear gas, but now the government is under their (farmer's) pressure. Finally, they (farmers) have got permission to organise their 'Mahapanchayat'," Ramesh told ANI.

"But it is just to show that the government is sensitive to farmers. But they don't have the intention to give a legal guarantee to Minimum Support Price or calculate MSP based on the Swaminathan Commission Report," he added.

He said that Prime Minister Modi will not break his silence on why, on the one hand, the government waives the loans of the industrialists but is not doing so with the farmers' loans.

Meanwhile, farmers in large numbers gathered at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan to hold the 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat' on Thursday. Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader also called the Bharatiya Janata Party an "anti-farmer".

Samyukt Kisan Morcha has called for a one-day Delhi Chalo, in which all the organisations related to the front are gathering at Ramlila Ground in Delhi. Thousands of farmers have arrived.

Farmers taking part in the Mahapanchayat said that the stage proceedings will start from noon on Thursday.

Darshan Pal, SKM leader said that ever since they first came to Delhi (in 2020 Kisan Andolan), they have expanded their network. "We have made laws for how we have to work," he said.

"Today's Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat is being organized because we want to tell the people of the country that the BJP government has betrayed us. Today we are trying to show the anti-farmer face of BJP in the entire country. Till now people are facing problems in reaching here. We were also given permission two days ago and many conditions were imposed. we condemn this. We want to tell you that 'Delhi ab Door nahi hai," he added.

On security arrangements, DCP Central M Harsha Vardhan told ANI that the police have made elaborate arrangements to ensure that law and order are maintained.