New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday offered 'full support to "peaceful satyagraha" of farmers protest as unions called for a nationwide chakka jam.
"The peaceful satyagraha of the Annadata is in the interest of the nation - these three laws are not only dangerous for the farmer-laborers, but also for the people and the country. Full support," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.
The Congress had on Friday extended support to the countrywide 'chakka jam' called by the farmer unions, saying party workers will stand shoulder to shoulder with farmers in their protest.
Earlier, Gandhi attacked the government over a media report that post-budget there had been a rise in prices of petrol-diesel and LPG gas cylinder, saying that the Modi government has disrupted the budget of both the country and of homes.
Farmer unions had on Monday announced a countrywide 'chakka jam' from 12 noon to 3 pm on February 6 when they would block national and state highways in protest against the Internet ban in areas near their agitation sites, harassment allegedly meted out to them by authorities, and other issues.
The police have stepped up security and made all arrangements for traffic diversion, said officials, adding adequate police personnel were deployed in Punjab and Haryana.
Protesting farmers owing allegiance to different farmers' bodies blocked state and national highways at several places on Saturday, causing inconvenience to commuters.
Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said they are holding road blockades at 33 places in 15 districts including Sangrur, Barnala and Bathinda in Punjab.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also slammed the government over the farmers issue by posting on Twitter a picture of the multi-layered barricading at one of the farmer protest sites.
"Why are you scaring us with the wall of fear?" she tweeted along with the picture.
Thousands of farmers have been protesting at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh demanding the rollback of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations.
However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.
(With PTI inputs)
