NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday accused the Modi government of crushing the voice of farmers after failing to fulfil the promises made to them over 10 years.
Kharge's attack against the government came on a day thousands of farmers called for a Delhi Chalo protest and the capital became a virtual fortress with authorities stopping them entering the city.
"Barbed wire, teargas from drones, nails and guns everything is arranged. The dictatorial Modi government is trying to curb the voice of farmers," the Congress chief said in a post on X.
"Remember how the farmer was defamed by calling him 'andolanjeevi' and 'parasite' and 750 farmers lost their lives," he said in his post in Hindi.
In 10 years, Kharge said, the Modi government has broken three promises made to food providers of the country.
These were, he added, doubling of farmers' income by 2022, implementation of input costs plus 50 per cent in accordance with the Swaminathan report and the grant of legal status to MSP.
Extending full support to the farmers' movement, Kharge said the Congress will today raise the voice of justice to farmers at an event in Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh.
" We will not be afraid, will not bow down," Kharge said in his post.