MOGA: Taking the center stage in Punjab's Moga, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led a tractor rally to protest against the Centre's new farm laws.
Gandhi, who arrived in the district on Sunday afternoon, will lead tractor rallies for three days beginning today.
Holding a public meeting at Badni Kalan in Moga before the rally, he asked why the farm bills were implemented in haste.
If farmers are happy with these laws then why are they protesting across the nation? Why is every farmer in Punjab protesting, he asked.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs, Harish Rawat, Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal are also in attendance at the venue.
Speaking at the podium, Singh asserted that as long as the laws passed in the Parliament are not amended to make the MSP compulsory, their promises were futile.
Former minister and MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had been staying away from all Congress activities, is among those present in the district.
The tractor rallies, which have been named as 'Kheti Bachao Yatra', will cover more than 50 km, spread over three days in various districts and constituencies.
Farmers in Punjab have been protesting against the new farm legislations.
Farmers have expressed apprehension that the Centre's farm reforms would pave the way for the dismantling of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporates.
The government has maintained that there will be no change in the MSP.
President Ram Nath Kovind had given assent to the three contentious bills -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill; Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill; and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill.