Congress on Monday gave its support to farmers' call for "Bharat Bandh" in protest against the three farm laws introduced by the Central government last year.
Farmers have been protesting against the farm laws for the past 10 months.
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that the issue can be resolved through talks but conditions shouldn't be applied.
"All opposition party support farmers. We support their demands. The issue can be resolved through talks but conditions shouldn't be applied. Dialogues should happen with an open heart," Hooda told ANI.
Senior Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda accused the Centre of ignoring demands of farmers.
"The government doesn't listen. They are ignoring the valid demands of farmers. Due to their ego, they are not ready to talk to farmers with an open heart. So, what options are left other than this?" Hooda told ANI.
He further added that these three laws should be revoked.
"If the government wants to bring any change in the system, then the government should bring a 'contract' in the parliamentary standing committee and farmers leaders should be called and they should take a decision after taking consensus with farmers," the Congress leader said.
Speaking on the issue, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said, "September 27, 2020, was a black day when the BJP government brought black farm laws to force the farmers of the country out of agriculture."
Every Indian must support Bharat Bandh, he added.
He said, "Truth of the matter is today's Bharat Bandh is a protest against BJP tyranny and salute to farmers resilience."
He further added, "It is a very pertinent question that if the Prime Minister can go to inspect the construction of new Parliament, then why can't he go to the Delhi borders to meet farmers and listen to their issues?"
Earlier today, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also tweeted in support of farmers using hashtag '#IStandWithFarmers'. He wrote, "Farmers' non-violent Satyagraha is intact even today. But the exploitative government does not like this and that is why we have Bharat Bandh today."
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also made a demand from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to roll back the three farm laws by asserting that the entire country is standing in support of the farmers.
Congress party had announced earlier that it will extend full support to the farmers call of Bharat Bandh for which various state units, frontal organizations and senior leaders will hold peaceful protests across the country along with the farmer unions.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a coalition of farmers' unions, has called a 'Bharat Bandh' today to mark the first anniversary of the enactment of the three farm laws.
The bandh has garnered support from more than 500 farmer organizations, 15 trade unions, political parties, six state governments and varied sections of society.
State governments of Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Punjab, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh have extended their support to the Bharat Bandh protest.
Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26 last year against the three enacted farm laws: 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.
Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains.
( With inputs from ANI )
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