Rahul Gandhi-led delegation to submit 2 crore signatures against Farm Laws to President

On Thursday, a delegation of Congress leaders led by Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi will submit around two crore signatures urging the repeal of the farm laws to President Ram Nath Kovind. They shall urge the intervention of the President for annulling The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Observing that this legislation has caused immense anguish, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal mentioned that 44 farmers had already lost their lives during the ongoing protests. 

In a statement, Venugopal claimed that the Centre had "duped" the farmers' unions by putting on a conciliatory face. Maintaining that the Union government was only committed to the welfare of the corporates, he alleged that public money was being used to create false propaganda in favour of the agrarian laws and discredit the protesting farmers. Moreover, he accused the Centre of insulting the farmers and undemocratically suspending opposition parliamentarians. Nearly two weeks ago, a 5-member delegation of opposition leaders comprising Congress' Rahul Gandhi, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja and DMK leader TKS Elangovan met the President seeking the revocation of the farm laws. 

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Read: Farmer Leaders Say Nothing New In Govt's Letter, Always Ready For Talks But Centre Must Offer 'concrete Solution'

Farmers' unions harden stance 

Earlier in the day, the farmers' unions revealed that a decision on the Centre's invite for talks will be taken in a meeting on Wednesday. Moreover, they announced that they will write to British MPs to stop UK PM Boris Johnson from attending the Republic Day celebrations. Johnson has accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invitation for being the Chief Guest for the Republic Day in 2021.

Addressing the media, farmer leader Kulwant Singh Sandhu asserted that the UK PM should not come to India until the demands of the protesters are fulfilled. Calling for exerting pressure on Johnson, Sandhu urged people of Punjabi origin to protest in front of all embassies across the world. So far, the farmers have refused to budge from their demand for the repeal of the three agrarian laws. 

Read: Samajwadi Party To Campaign In UP Against 'anti-farmer Policies' Of BJP Govts On Dec 25