PM Modi wants to hand-over agri business to his 'two friends': Rahul Gandhi

Continuing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the farm laws, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the PM wants to "hand over" the entire agriculture business to his "two friends". Gandhi made this remark while addressing two farmers' rallies at Rupangarh in Ajmer and Nagaur's Makrana in Rajasthan.

At the Rupangarh rally, Gandhi said 40 per cent of people of the country are stakeholders in the farming business.

Gandhi, wearing a Rajasthani turban, reached the rally venue driving a tractor with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra sitting with him.

"It is the business of 40 per cent people, which includes farmers, small and medium businessmen, traders and labourers. Narendra Modi wants to give this entire business to his two friends. This is the objective of the farm laws," he claimed but did not name anyone.

The Wayanad MP also stated that PM Modi is giving options, but the options are "hunger, unemployment, and suicide".

In another rally at Makrana, Gandhi said the backbone of the country is being broken, which started with demonetisation.

"Future is being snatched from the youth. In front of your eyes, the backbone of the country is being broken. It began with demonetisation, after which the GST Gabbar Singh Tax was brought and small businesses were hit," Gandhi said in the farmers' rally.

Farmers, labourers, traders are being sidelined and the path is being cleared for two-three businessmen. During the coronavirus lockdown, labourers requested the PM to give them tickets to go home but he did not yield to it and waived loans of Rs 1.5 lakh crore of the rich, he alleged. Gandhi said it was his responsibility to tell the truth and it is for the people to listen or not to listen.

Gandhi said he kept silence in Parliament as a mark of respect to 200 farmers who died during the agitation against the farm laws but not a single BJP MP stood for it.

"The Speaker said I should give in writing. Now, I will give in writing to the Speaker that all members in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha should observe a two-minute silence," Gandhi said.

About the farm laws he said, "The first law is about finishing the mandi system, the second is about allowing unlimited hoarding and the third is about snatching the rights of farmers to go to courts."

Earlier in the day, Gandhi offered prayers at a temple dedicated to folk deity Veer Tejaji in Ajmer's Sursura village.

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