‘Fear of losing elections forced Modiji to repeal farm laws’: Congress

New Delhi, Nov 19: The Congress on Friday said the BJP's "fear of defeat" in the upcoming state assembly polls has forced Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take back his decision on three farm laws. The party also demanded that the prime minister apologise to the farmers for the "pain" inflicted on them.

Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also posed a set of five questions to the government, asking what is the roadmap and way forward for giving MSP to farmers, doubling farmers' income and of freeing them from debt. He said the "anti-farmer" BJP's powers and those of its capitalist friends have finally lost and today is the day of the defeat of Modi's "arrogance".

"The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrogance had to bow before the farmers but the country will not forget your sin. People have now understood that the victory of Indians and India lies ahead of BJP's defeat," he told reporters at a press conference after the prime minister announced the repeal of three farm laws.

"The Modi government and PM Modi have publicly accepted their crime and it is now time for the people to pronounce punishment for this crime. The public has understood that the country's victory lies in BJP's defeat," Surjewala said.

"Modi ji is seeing his loss clearly in upcoming elections and this fear has forced him to take back his decision and shed his 'raaj hath' (stubbornness)," he charged. He alleged that PM Modi is responsible for the death of 700 farmers who lost their lives during the agitation and said he should now apologise to them. "Come forward and apologise to the farmers for inflicting pain to them and to the families of those who lost their lives," the Congress leader demanded.

He said today is the day of the "defeat of the conspiracy to sell farm lands of farmers" and is the day of the victory of farmers, labourers and shopkeepers and is also the day of the victory of the "martyrdom of over 700 farmers who gave away their lives for the agitation against the farm laws".

The Congress leader also asked if laws can be brought through ordinances, why can't the farm laws be repealed through an ordinance. The government should hold a meeting of the cabinet and should repeal the farm laws immediately, he demanded.

Surjewala said the country does not believe in PM Modi's words and promises anymore, as he had promised 'Achche Din', but people are yearning for the good old days to return. He had also promised to give Rs 15 lakh to every household and promised to end black money through demonetisation.

"If the government can bring an ordinance to extend the tenures of two people - the chiefs of CBI and ED, then why can't an ordinance be brought to end the farm laws. Are CBI/ED chiefs bigger than the 62 crore farmers of the country," he asked.