Legal guarantee on MSP farmers’ right, says Rahul Gandhi

Neeraj Mohan

New Delhi, July 24

Asserting the farmers’ right to a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP), Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi today assured a delegation of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) that the INDIA bloc would fight to get their demands fulfilled.

“A legal guarantee on MSP is the right of farmers and the INDIA bloc will ensure they get this right,” said Rahul Gandhi following a meeting with farmer leaders.

Highlighting the promise made in the election manifesto of the Congress, he said, “We had already promised guaranteed MSP and we will discuss the issue with INDIA bloc members to build pressure on the government.”

As per a statement by the Congress, Rahul Gandhi had invited farm leaders for a meeting in his office in Parliament, but initially the farmers were denied entry into the Parliament complex. “They are farmers. That is why they were not allowed to enter (Parliament complex), but I will meet them outside,” Rahul Gandhi said during an interaction with the media.

The Congress statement claimed that farmer leaders were allowed to enter Parliament complex only after Rahul Gandhi decided to go out to meet them.

Kisan Mazdoor Morcha coordinator Sarwan Singh Pandher, said, “Rahul Gandhi assured us that he will take up issues of farmers and labourers in Parliament.”

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said, “We also raised the issue of atrocities on farmers by the Haryana Police.”

Will pressure govt

A legal guarantee on MSP is the right of farmers and the INDIA bloc will ensure they get this right… We had already promised guaranteed MSP and we will discuss the issue with INDIA bloc members to build pressure on the government. — Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader & LoP