The ruling Congress MLAs in Rajasthan will stage protests across the State on January 3 against Governor Kalraj Mishra neither giving his assent to the farm amendment Bills passed by the Assembly nor sending them to the President. The Bills, which had sought to stop the applicability of the Centre's new agriculture sector laws in the State, were passed on November 2.
The demonstrations will also express solidarity with the farmers agitating against the farm legislations. Besides, the Pradesh Congress Committee will run a week-long 'Kisan Bachao, Desh Bachao' (save farmers, save the nation) campaign in all villages of the State, starting on January 5, demanding the repeal of the farm laws.
PCC president and Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasra said here on Thursday that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his Cabinet colleagues and MLAs and other elected representatives from Jaipur district would participate in the dharna at Shaheed Smarak in the State Capital for four hours on January 3.
The decision for undertaking the campaign was taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers, presided over by Mr. Gehlot, here on Wednesday night. The issues related to power supply to farmers, preparation of the State Budget and the upcoming by-elections in three Assembly constituencies were also discussed.
The Ministers, who were asked to identify priorities of works promised in the Congress manifesto for their respective departments in the year 2021, regretted that the Governor was sitting on the Bills even two months after they were passed. The Bills included the one seeking to prevent the land of farmers owning less than five acres from being attached.
Mr. Gehlot later slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre for is failure to resolve the issues raised by the agitating farmers and said the cultivators were forced to welcome the New Year “out on roads, away from their homes”.
“Farmers are compelled to agitate in this harsh winter weather... The government has not relented in the talks with them and the only outcome is another round of talks on January 4,” Mr. Gehlot tweeted. “A sensitive [and] responsive government would never let this happen!” he added.
