Congress to observe 'Kisan Vijay Diwas' today: Opposition salutes farmers, says PM bows to pressure

The opposition parties have hailed the PM's declaration as a victory of the heroic agitation staged by farmers and the opposition and asserted that the PM, his government and BJP were forced to bow before farmers' anger and also due to their worries about an adverse outcome in the upcoming assembly polls. The Congress has decided to observe 'Kisan Vijay Diwas' on Saturday, with victory marches and meetings across the country. The party leaders and workers will visit the families of nearly "700 farmers" who died during their unrelenting agitation, an AICC circular to PCCs said.

The Centre's U-turn could also add to the unity and aggression of like-minded opposition parties against the government during the Parliament session on a range of common issues.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi said: "Today, the sacrifices of more than 700 farmer families, whose members laid down their lives in this struggle for justice, have paid off... In a democracy, any decision should be taken after talks with every stakeholder and deliberations with the opposition. I hope the Modi government has at least learned something for the future."


Congratulating farmers, Rahul Gandhi, reportedly travelling abroad, retweeted a past video clipping in which he can be heard saying, "mark my word, the farm laws will have to be withdrawn by the government". Incidentally, Gandhi was abroad when the united opposition protests peaked against the land acquisition bill, resulting in the first Modi regime withdrawing it. Congress leaders hoped he would return in time to join 'Vijay Diwas'.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra CM too took potshots at the Centre after the PM's announcement. Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee congratulated 'every single farmer who fought relentlessly'. The Left parties saluted farmers and termed the Centre's U-turn as a desperate decision forced by the electoral pressure of the upcoming polls.