Farm laws: Rahul Gandhi to hold tractor rallies in Punjab, Haryana from Oct 3-5

Chandigarh, Oct 01: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will hold tractor rallies in Punjab and Haryana from October 3 to 5 to protest against the Centre's new farm laws, the party said.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and in-charge of Punjab affairs, Harish Rawat, Pradesh Punjab Congress Committee president Sunil Jakhar, and all state ministers and Congress MLAs will join the protests, "to give voice to the angst and pain of the farmers, whose livelihood and future has been put at stake by the central legislations."

According to a Punjab Congress spokesperson, the tractor rallies are expected to be supported by farmers' organisations and will cover more than 50 kms over three days. The rallies are scheduled to begin at around 11 am on each of the three days, and will be conducted amid strict COVID-19 protocols, said the spokesperson.

On October 3, the protest rally will cover a total distance of 22 km, starting with a public meeting at Badni Kalan (Nihal Singh Wala, Moga), before moving through Lopon (Nihal Singh Wala). The rally will then move into Jagraon (Ludhiana), where it will be received at Chakar, Lakha and Manoke, culminating eventually in a public meeting Jattpura (Raikot, Ludhiana), said the spokesperson.

On October 4, Rahul Gandhi will travel by car to Bhawanigarh for a public meeting, before embarking on tractors to Samana (Patiala), where receptions will be held at Fatehgarh Chhana and Bahmna, before ending the day with a public meeting at grain market in Samana.

On October 5, the protest will begin from Dudhan Sadhan (Patiala) with a public meeting, and the tractors will then travel 10 kms to Pehowa border, from where Rahul Gandhi will enter Haryana, for a series of programmes there, said the spokesperson.