Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday hit out at the government over the new farm laws and said "repealing" them and "putting them in a waste paper basket" is the only solution.

Farmers have been protesting against the new farm laws for over two months while a few farmer unions have withdrawn from the protest after the violence broke out on Republic Day.

"The government needs to talk to farmers. The only solution is repealing new farm laws and putting them in the waste paper basket. Instead of talking to farmers and resolving the issue, the government is threatening them, discrediting them," the Gandhi scion said.

Rahul alleged that the government is destroying the livelihood of farmers through the new laws. "The government must not think that farmers are going back home. My concern is this agitation is going to spread, we do not want that," Rahul said.

He also questioned the home ministry on farmers entering Red Fort during the tractor parade, "Who allowed farmers to enter Red Fort? Is it not the Home Ministry's job to stop them from doing so?".

Deviating from the designated route for the tractor parade, protesting farmers entered the Red Fort and hoisted flags from some domes of the iconic monument in the national capital on January 26.

Farmers had earlier clashed with the police at ITO while trying to enter Lutyens Delhi. The police used tear gas shells and lathi-charge to dispel the violent farmers. The farmers who began their march from different border points, much before the time permitted for their tractor rally, reached ITO in Central Delhi, though their leaders had earlier agreed not to enter central Delhi.

The opposition party also said it is standing strongly behind the farmers in their protest against the farm laws. Backing Rahul, Congress leader and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "Threatening, intimidating farmers a grave sin. Attack on farmers is an attack on the country."

(Edited by : Jomy)

First Published:Jan 29, 2021 9:00 PM IST