New Delhi, Mar 7 (IANS): As the farmers' agitation over the three Central farm laws completed 100 days on Saturday, the Congress attacked the BJP-led government at the Centre, alleging that riding on the arrogance of majority, it has gone blind as it can't see anything beyond power.
In a statement, Congress General Secretary and national media in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "Riding on arrogance of brute majority, the Narendra Modi government has turned blind. They are unable to see anything beyond power."
He said that democracy is not run like an authotarian regime, but it is governed as per the requirements of the people.
Surjewala also said that the defeat of the BJP in four states and one Union Territory in the coming Assembly elections will open the path for providing minimum support price to the farmers and repealing the three farm laws.
Targeting the government over the farm laws, the Congress leader said, "The farmers are being suppressed by the government for the last 100 days. The BJP leaders and ministers have used several words to demonise the farmers, who faced extreme harsh conditions on the borders of the national capital opposing the three farm laws."
Highlighting the plight of the farmers in the last 100 days, Surjewala said that the government brought the three black laws to favour its industrialist friends.
"The government passed these bills in the Parliament despite objections from the opposition parties," he said, adding that the government even filed a wrong affidavit in the Supreme Court over the three farm laws.
He said that before arriving on the borders of the national capital, the farmers held a meeting with the government for over seven hours on November 13 last year, but the government did not pay heed to their demands.
"Thus the farmers arrived at several borders of Delhi on November 26 last year to protest against the three laws. But when arrived here, they were welcomed with water canons, tear gas shells and baton charges by the police," he said.
Surjewala alleged that the government instead of listening to the demands of the farmers started a series of meeting with them. But even after 12 rounds of meetings, the issue has remained unresolved till date.
He said the government worked on three formulas to tire out the farmers.
"One of the methods was to tire out the farmers with no conclusive discussions during the meetings, so that they return back to their native places. Another method adopted by the government was to torture the farmers," he said.
Backing his claims, Surjewala said the Income Tax department carried out searches at the premises of several farmers and their leaders.
Explaining the third method adopted by the government to weaken the farmers' agitation, Surjewala said, "The government adopted the policy of defaming and demonising the farmers by describing them as Khalistanis, Pakistanis and Maoists, working with anti-national forces."
Earlier on Saturday, agitating farmers blocked the 136-km Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway to mark 100 days of their protest against the three Central farm laws enacted in September last year.