Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify his stand on the remarks made by his party MP Kangana Ranaut on farm laws, asking whether he is opposed to the comments or is upto some mischief.
BJP MP Ranaut had earlier made remarks calling for bringing back the three farm laws. “Farmers are a pillar of strength in India’s progress. Only in some states, they had objected to farm laws. I appeal with folded hands that farm laws should be brought back in the interest of farmers,” she said.
The Mandi MP, however, on Wednesday took a U-turn and withdrew her remarks calling for bringing back the three farm laws and said those were her personal opinions and did not represent the party’s stand.
The Opposition party demanded that the actor-politician be expelled by the ruling party if it did not agree with her remarks.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also hit out at the BJP over Ranaut’s remarks and said the poll-bound states, including Haryana, would give a befitting reply to the ruling party.
The actor-politician said she must remember that she is not only an artiste but also a BJP member now and her statements should be in line with her party’s policies.
In a post in Hindi on X along with his video, Gandhi said, “Who is deciding the government’s policy? A BJP MP or Prime Minister Modi?”
“Even after the martyrdom of more than 700 farmers, especially the farmers of Haryana and Punjab, the BJP people are not satisfied. INDIA will not allow any conspiracy of BJP against our farmers to succeed — If any step is taken to harm the farmers, Modi ji will have to apologize again,” the Congress leader said.
The Congress on Tuesday shared on X a video in which Ranaut said in Hindi, “Farm laws that have been repealed should be brought back. I think this may get controversial. The laws in farmers’ interest be brought back. Farmers should themselves demand this (to bring farm laws back) so that there is no hindrance to their prosperity.
In an apparent response to Ranaut’s remarks, Kharge said, “Even after the martyrdom of 750 farmers, the anti-farmer BJP and Modi government did not realize their grave crime! There is talk of re-implementation of the three black anti-farmer laws. The Congress Party strongly opposes this.”
The 62 crore farmers will not forget that the Modi government crushed the farmers under a vehicle, used barbed wire, teargas from drones, nails and guns against them, he said.