Pradhan takes on Priyanka in war of words on farm laws

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Monday reacted to the ongoing farmers agitation and accused the central government of favouring a few billionaires. "The name is farmers law," she tweeted. "But all the benefits are for the billionaire friends. How can farmers laws be introduced without talking to farmers? How can the interests of farmers be overlooked in these laws? The government will have to listen to the farmers. Come, let us collectively raise our voice in support of the farmers," she further said on Twitter.

Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan made a counterpoint on Priyanka Gandhi's allegation. He took to Twitter to say, "The Vadra-Congress, which usurped the land of thousands of farmers in many states, is today donning the garb of being farmer-friendly. Priyanka Gandhiji, be assured. The Modi government will neither do injustice to the farmers nor defend the profiteering middlemen who grab farmers' land."

Farmers from Punjab and Haryana have  been agitating on the Delhi border with demands of withdrawal of all the three agricultural laws and seeking written assurances on continuation of minimum support price, among other issues. The Centre has already extended an offer for talks to the farmers and asked them to gather at the Burari grounds, but the farmers are not ready to accept any conditions for a dialogue.