Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over various issues including the farmers' protest and hike in fuel prices at the Kisan Panchayat in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar.
The Prime Minister visited many countries across the world but didn't meet the protesting farmers to "wipe their tears', Gandhi said. "The farmers have been protesting near Delhi for 90 days. At least 215 farmers died during this period, the electricity and water supplies to them were cut, and they were assaulted. They were protesting peacefully, but Delhi's borders were turned into international borders," she added.
Priyanka Gandhi further said that PM Modi ridiculed the farmers by calling them 'andolan jivi'. "When farmer leader Rakesh Tikait cries, our Prime Minister thinks it's funny," she added.
"Just like humans, a country has a heart. Country lives when that heart beats. I believe our country's heart is farmers, who are related to land - reaping and sowing in the land. They are the providers," Gandhi said.
"In 2018, diesel was priced at Rs 60/litre & today it's Rs 80-90/litre. Electricity rates & price of gas cylinder are increasing but you're not getting fair price of sugarcane," she further said.
Concluding her speech, Priyanka Gandhi said the Centre will have to back down and repeal the contentious farm laws. "I did not come to show my face for politics... I will keep coming. We will fight with you. Do not back down, this government is weak. This government will have to back down," she said.