Muzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh), Feb 20 (IANS): Congress National General Secretary and UP state in-charge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, while addressing the 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' in Muzzafarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and targeted his "arrogance."

She said,"In our old stories, kings and queens became arrogant after their won power. After becoming Prime Minister twice, the PM is also showing arrogance."

"The Central government should respect the farmers. Why is Modiji not talking to the farmers who elected him as Prime Minister? Dialogue should be initiated with the farmers and their problems must be solved," she further said.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Prime Minister Modi had promised there will be settlement of dues pending on sugarcane. She asked the farmers about the payment of dues of sugarcane.

"The Prime Minister bought two airplanes at a higher price than the money pending for sugarcane payments. Modi had promised that sugarcane dues would be paid but it has not been done. A scheme to construct a Parliament building costing Rs 20,000 crore has been floated but sugarcane dues have not been paid. The Electricity bills are rising. The BJP government earned 21.5 lakh crore from diesel tax, but there is no account of that money. Why did the farmers not get this money. "

Priyanka said the farmers are in anguish. Rich billionaires have earned thousands of crores and distraught farmers are sitting on roads.

She said,"Taxes being levied on government mandis will not be given in private mandis. As a result, government mandis will be discontinued in the near future. The second law would include contract farming. With this billionaires would buy the crop of farmers in an arbitrary manner. The Minimum Support Price mechanism will end. They [the government] will give the farmers' land to their rich businessmen friends."