40% Indians will become unemployed if farm laws implemented: Rahul

Jaipur: Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday made another scathing attack on the Modi government, saying that 40 per cent of the country’s people will turn unemployed if the three farm laws were implemented. He also accused the government of surrendering the “holy land of India” to China.

Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to the state, addressed two Kisan Mahapanchayats, first at Pilibanga in Hanumangarh district and the second in Padampura in Sriganganagar district.

At the Pilibanga event, he said: “Agriculture is the world’s largest business and no one person runs this business. 40 per cent of the people of India are partners in this business. Crores of people run this business for India which include farmers, labourers, small shopkeepers, traders among others. 40 per cent of the country’s people will turn unemployed if the three farm laws are implemented.” 

“The first law will kill the market, the second will increase hoarding and the third will not allow justice. Understand one thing… that this is not just an attack on farmers. It is an attack on 40 per cent of the people of India. The farmers includes the most vigilant category who understood this fact at the initial hour,” he added.

He also said Modi government all of a sudden announced GST, demonetisation and lockdown issues which have affected the Indian economy hard. Till date, small shopkeepers have not understood GST, he added.

Reiterating his statement from his press conference in Delhi on Friday, he accused Modi of surrendering the holy land of India stretching between Finger 3 and 4 at Pangong Tso in Ladakh to China.

“They can’t stand in front of China but shall continue to threaten farmers,” he said, in an attack on the Modi government.

In Padampura, he said: “Till date, the Central government has been saying that farmers will get options with three farm laws, Yes, they gave them the options – first of hunger, second of unemployment and third of suicide.”

Chief minister Ashok Gehlot, state Congress President Govind Singh Dotasara, state in charge Ajay Maken and former PCC president and former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot among others were present at the event. 

Gandhi, who arrived earlier on Friday, was received by Gehlot at the Suratgarh Airstrip.