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A day after Gajendra Singh, a Rajasthan farmer, committed suicide at Jantar Mantar here, the Congress on Thursday intensified its protest against the “anti-farmer” National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
Setting in motion a multi–pronged strategy, the Congress made sure the issue of farmer distress and “anti-poor” land Bill was highlighted both within and outside Parliament. While Congress workers held a solidarity meet at Jantar Mantar, Youth Congress workers protested outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence. The party worked actively with other Opposition parties to corner the government in the Upper House.
Congress spokesperson R P N Singh said, “We will fight for farmers and against this anti-poor government both within and outside the House.”
Portraying itself as champion of the farmers’ cause, the party lashed out at the “hypocrisy” of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and demanded a judicial inquiry into the death. “The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and AAP are playing politics over the incident and we need an impartial probe to reveal the truth,” said Singh.
Both Houses on Thursday witnessed disruptions over the issue. The Upper House had to be adjourned due to protests from the Opposition, when the causes and reasons for the land ordinance was tabled in the morning. Trinamool Congress leader Nadeem Ul Haq tore the agenda paper and threatened to do the same if the land Bill was brought in.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad demanded the House suspend its regular business and discuss the issue.
