Rahul Gandhi slams Centre over farmers protest

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday slammed the Union government over farmers protest against the new agriculture laws and termed the Centre a government of 'lie and loot'.

"They said farmers' income will double. What they did- increased their friends income four times while farmers' income will be halved. Government of lie, loot and of suit boot," the Congress leader tweeted in Hindi.

The Congress leader also shared a video from a news channel regarding the recent farmers' protest.

The farmers' protest against the three agricultural sector laws passed by the Central government in the last monsoon session entered the seventh day on Wednesday with demonstrations on Sant Nirankari Samagam ground in Burari on the outskirts of Delhi, besides the border areas.

Yesterday night, the Union government held a meeting with the representatives of the protesting farmers and offered to set up a committee to look into their demands, which they rejected.

After the meeting, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, however, said that the discussion was "good" and the fourth round of talks will be held on December 3.

"We wanted a small group to be constituted but farmers' leaders wanted that the talks should be held with everyone; we do not have a problem with it," the minister said.

The government also gave a detailed presentation to the farmers' leaders on the Minimum Support Price and the Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act during the meeting, appealing to them to suspend their protest.

Thousands of farmers reached Delhi on November 27 and assembled at the border areas to continue their protest against the three farms laws.

The farmers are protesting against 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.