Rahul Gandhi mocks govt's 'double farmer income' goal; levels 'quadruple suit-boot' charge

As the farmers' agitation over the three contentious farm laws passed by the Centre in September entered its seventh day, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday once again lodged a direct attack at the government and fired his ‘suit-boot’ jibe.  "What the government said: farmers’ income will be doubled. What the government did: increased income of its cronies four times and will halve farmers’ income. This is a government of lies and a ‘suit-boot’ government," Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi along with a video of the farmers' protest. This comes amid sources telling Republic that the BJP sees a bid by Congress to topple the Haryana government by leveraging former CM BS Hooda's clout.

'Farmers' hard work is a debt on all of us'

On Tuesday, he said that, rather than using 'lathis' and firing tear gas on them, the debt of farmers should be paid by ensuring justice and rights for them. The Congress leader also accused the Central government of lying on national television. "While the country’s food providers are protesting on the roads, the liars are giving speeches on national television. Farmers’ hard work is a debt on all of us. This debt can only be paid back by giving them justice and not by lathi-charging them or firing tear gas at them. Wake up, put your ego aside and give the farmer what he deserves," he had tweeted.

Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday suggested setting up a committee to look into issues raised by farmers protesting against new farm laws, but it was rejected by representatives of 35 agitating organisations during their marathon meeting with three Union Ministers that ended without any resolution. The meeting at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital remained inconclusive and the government has called for another round of discussions on Thursday, December 3, farmer Union Leaders said.

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Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Tuesday that the meeting with representatives of farmers unions was "good" and they had been urged to share specific issues related to farm Acts on Wednesday which will be discussed during the fourth round of meeting on December 3.

The minister, who interacted with members of BKU in the evening at Krishi Bhavan after the government's talks with the farmer representatives from Punjab at Vigyan Bhavan, said the government is always open to discussions with the farmers. Thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana stayed put at various Delhi border points for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday. The government says the laws will reform the agricultural sector and allowing farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country. Critics and farmers fear they will be overrun by corporates.

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(With agency inputs)