New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday saluted the tenacity of farmers for the repeal of three farm laws and backed their pending demands for a legally guaranteed MSP and compensation to the families of deceased protesters.
Addressing a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary party today, Sonia demanded a discussion in the ongoing winter session on the border issue and challenges confronting the agriculture sector.
“It is extraordinary that the Parliament has been given no opportunity whatsoever so far to have a discussion on the challenges we continue to face on our borders. Such a discussion would have also been an opportunity to demonstrate a collective will and resolve. The government may not want to answer difficult questions, but it is the right and duty of the Opposition to seek clarifications and explanations. The government steadfastly refuses to allocate time for a debate. I would once again urge for a full-fledged discussion on the border situation and relations with our neighbours,” Sonia said.
In wide ranging remarks, the Congress chief attacked the government over the state of the economy, Covid-19 vaccine coverage, sale of public assets and rising prices of essential commodities.
She also hoped the national preparedness to deal with Omicron was high. “I hope the government has learnt a lesson from the previous waves of Covid-19 and is preparing itself to dealing effectively with the new variant,” she said, terming the suspension of 12 Opposition MPs as unprecedented and shocking.
“It is the solidarity and tenacity of the farmers that has forced an arrogant government to climb down. Let us salute them for their great achievement,” she said.
Congress delegates stopped from going to Nagaland
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the party would not budge from the path of finding the truth of the civilian killings in Nagaland. He was reacting to alleged detention in Assam of a Congress delegation visiting Nagaland to meet with the families of 14 civilians who died in a botched-up anti-insurgency operation.