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Rahul, Sonia launch attack on Modi government at farmers' rally in Delhi

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New Delhi, Sept 20: While launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday, Sept 20 described 'Make-in-India' initiative as 'Take-in-India' and said it has no place for farmers and labourers.

Rahul made frontal attack on the Modi government when he was addressing Congress "Kisaan Mazdoor Samman rally" in the national capital New Delhi.

sonia rahul

"The fight on land bill is not limited to Parliament but has to be fought even in Assemblies. Government was forced to drop Ordinance on land bill; it is indeed a victory of Congress but more credit goes to farmers", Rahul said.

While batting for the farmers' rights, Rahul said, "Our 40-45 MPs in Lok Sabha fought for you with determination.

Taking a dig at PM Narendra Modi, Rahul said, "Modi wants to snatch away our 'mother' and give it to someone else".

"This is not a fight for farms, not a fight for land but this is a battle for farmers' hearts. This is a fight for the dignity and future of the farmers which is why Congress stands with you ", he added.

Addressing the rally, Gandhi said agricultural land was akin to a "mother" for farmers.

He said the Congress' fight against the land acquisition bill was a fight for the farmers' future and their prestige.

He recounted that a farmer had told him that the land he tilled was like his own mother.

"He told me that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is not just snatching our land but our mother. He wants to snatch our mother and give it to someone else, please fight for us," said Gandhi, who has been taking on Modi at various rallies.

The Congress leader said Modi had said the government would allow the land ordinance to lapse. "But I know Modiji. What he really says he does not do.

Gandhi said while Modi had said he won't kill the earlier Congress land acquisition bill, he had told BJP chief ministers to go ahead with the contents of the bill that could not be passed in parliament in states.

"The fight (against land bill) has not ended. The fight is not for the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. This fight is for the Vidhan Sabha. The Congress will have to fight it in every state," he said.

Gandhi accused the Modi government of going back on the minimum support price for crops and not being there to help the farmers when their crops were destroyed by hailstorm earlier this year.

"I want to tell Modi (to) listen to the farmers, go to their homes, hold their hands and help them."

Modi forced to bow before power of plough and hand: Sonia Gandhi

In a hard-hitting attack on Modi at the "Kisan Samman Rally" held by the Congress at the Ramlila Maidan here to mark the party's "victory" on the land bill, Gandhi charged the BJP-led government with failing on all fronts.

In a speech in Hindi, Gandhi said Modi has time only for his industrialist friends, and not for farmers and labourers.

She accused the government of trying to create tension and said prices of food commodities have risen sharply.

"The Modi government, as is its habit, is indulging in just talking and making speeches. It is encouraging activities which take away attention of the people from the real issues. It wants to create such tension which will be a danger for the country's future and national unity. It is the biggest challenge before us which we have to face unitedly," Gandhi said.

She said the country's interest was supreme for the Congress party and it was prepared to make any sacrifice for it.

The Congress chief said Modi overlooked the seriousness of the agitation against the "black" land ordinance, but "had to bow his head" when the "force of hand and plough combined together".

She said the Congress's victory on the land bill was not of an individual but of all those who took part in the struggle.

"They wanted to snatch land through the land ordinance. You (farmers) toil hard to meet our requirements of food. You are not only our food-givers but makers of our destiny," she said.Gandhi said the struggle against the land bill has not ended but "the battlefield has shifted to the states".

"The prime minister has failed at the Centre (to change the land law) and now wants to bring the same (changes) through the states. If we are not alert, the struggle will go in vain and you will lose your land," Gandhi said.

She said farmers were facing many problems, including drought and shortage of seeds and fertiliser.

"While the UPA government provided a loan waiver to farmers of Rs.72 lakh crore, the Modi government, instead of helping them, has provided tax benefit of Rs.40,000 crore to foreign capitalists," Gandhi said.

"It seems he (Modi) has no interest or time to solve your problems. If he has hours (of time), it is for industrialists. And yes, he has a lot of interest for foreign visits," Gandhi added.

The Congress president said Modi had made lofty promises and the youth of the country was looking for employment.

"What happened to your promise? It seems you have closed your ears and eyes. The government has failed in every field."

She said Modi accuses the Congress of being an impediment in development to take attention away from his government's failures.

"Such remarks evoke laughter and a sense of pity in me. I want to ask him where were people of his ideology when freedom was being fought. Our party which has fought for freedom, can it be an impediment to progress," Gandhi asked.

She said the party will come in the way of the government for any move against the interests of farmers, labourers and the common man.

"If development means benefiting a few, we will oppose it. Today, there is no such section whose problems have not increased manifold. Every person is facing difficulties," Gandhi said.

OneIndia News

(With IANS inputs)

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