Central govt must urgently engage in discussions with farmers: Congress' Hanumanth Rao

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], December 8 (ANI): Congress leader Hanumanth Rao has expressed concern over the government's handling of the farmers' protest.
Two days ago police used tear gas to stop farmers from proceeding towards Delhi at the Shambhu border between Haryana and Punjab. The Congress leader Rao criticized police action terming it as "unfortunate."
"The farmers' protest has entered its 300th day of an indefinite hunger strike, but the government is not taking it seriously. The police have obstructed their protest with tear gas and have also stopped their rally to Delhi. How long can we tolerate this injustice towards farmers? The central government must urgently engage in discussions with the farmers regarding their issues. There seems to be a lack of communication from the government's side," he told ANI on Saturday.
"Yesterday, the use of tear gas and the prevention of the Delhi rally was unfortunate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Agriculture Minister need to call the farmers and discuss their concerns directly. The farmers are asking for a minimum support price for their crops, which has not been addressed adequately. The farmers' issues are genuine, and the government needs to resolve them; otherwise, farmers will continue to suffer. Despite everyone's acknowledgment of farmers' struggles, these issues have been pending for years, which is causing significant anger among them," he said.
He emphasized the need for direct dialogue between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Agriculture Minister, and the farmers to address their concerns.
"How long must they wait? The government of India must engage with the farmers immediately. If the issues are not addressed, the hunger strike will continue, leading to further unrest and suffering among the people. As a senior Congress leader, I urge Prime Minister Modi and the Agriculture Minister to meet with the farmers and work towards a solution," he said.
Meanwhile, the farmer protest group have announced the resumption of 'Delhi Chalo' march today. Due to security concerns, Delhi police have set up barricades and installed nails at the Shambhu Border.
The farmers have been protesting over various demands, which includes a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), a farm debt waiver, pension for farmers and no hike in electricity tariff. (ANI)