Rahul Gandhi submits '2 cr signatures' to President against farm laws; particulars sketchy

On Thursday, Congress leers Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Az & hir Ranjan Chowdhury visited President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan and handed over purported list of 2 crore signatories who y claim are against farm laws. However, Republic TV accessed documents and found that re are contact numbers or dress of farmers that Congress party claims have signed documents against farm laws.

aunticity of documents are under scanner and accordingly BJP's Gaurav Bhatia has said that parties like Congress are politicising issue even as Centre is continuing its talks with farmers. Bhatia has also raised questions on internal chaos in Congress party stating that Gandhi family is playing 'musical chairs' with president's post of party. 

leers who met President said that three farm laws are "anti-farmer". Earlier, Delhi Police h imposed Section 144 outside Congress hequarter at 24, Akbar Ro, Delhi and Priyanka Vra, Anand Sharma and ors were detained for violating it. 

dressing media, Congress leer Rahul Gandhi said that Prime Minister should remember that protesting farmers are t going to go back home until farm laws are repealed. "Government should convene a joint session of Parliament and take back se laws. Opposition parties will stand with farmers & labourers. PM Modi is making money for crony capitalists. Whoever will try to stand against him will be called terrorist - be it farmers, labourers and even Mohan Bhagwat," former Congress chief said. 

Incidentally, all 23 Congress leers who wrote to interim Congress chief Sonia Gandhi demanding robust change in party and election for a new president backed meeting of Rahul Gandhi with President and under his leership, Congress leers attacked Centre of sidelining farmers. However, sources on Wednesday told Republic TV that 23 dissenters are against Rahul Gandhi's election at top.

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What are farm laws? 

Farmers' Produce Tre and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing  farmers from constraints of state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby y would be able to sell ir produce anywhere. Meanwhile,  Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to eng with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails provision of contract farming. On or hand,  Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances. 

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Unions urge Centre to send a concrete proposal

On December 9,  farmer leers h unanimously rejected Centre's proposal for making amendments and called for an escalation in protests until farm laws are repealed. Subsequently, PM Modi, his Cabinet colleagues, as well as top BJP leers, have dressed farmers across country to dress ir concerns. Moreover, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar gave 8 concrete assurances to farmers via an open letter.

On December 20, Centre asked 40 protesting unions to provide details of all remaining concerns and fix a convenient date for resumption of talks. Earlier in day, farmers' unions sent a letter to Union government and me it clear that y were t willing to budge from ir demand for repeal of agrarian laws. 

RE | Tomar Releases List Of Farmer Unions Backing Farm Laws, Over 3 Lakh Signatures Submitted

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