Picture : Twitter / ANI
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said when the whole country was being thrashed, it was not a big deal that he got pushed a little while en route to meet the Hathras victim’s family.
“When the whole country is being pushed, thrashed, what if I got pushed a little, it’s not a big deal. It doesn’t matter. It is our job to protect the public and farmers. It is such type of government that if you stand up to it you will get pushed, you will be beaten with lathis. We are ready for it,” Gandhi said.
“The real push, the unimaginable one, was given to the family (of the Hathras victim). That is why I wanted to meet them. I wanted that family to know that they are not alone. I told them I was there for the lakhs of females who are misbehaved with daily, who are raped,” he added further slamming the Prime Minister’s silence over the issue and the attitude of the administration in Uttar Pradesh.
Gandhi, along with his sister and Congress general secretary and in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were manhandled and arrested by UP Police when they were marching to meet the family of Hathras gangrape victim, who died while undergoing treatment in a hospital in the national capital.
Later while on a tour in Punjab Rahul Gandhi addressed a press conference which was also attended by other leaders including, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and party leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala, Harish Rawat and Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar.
Gandhi further slammed the Modi government for its earlier moves such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST), demonetisation, among others.
“The way in which Modi first did demonetisation, then GST and then during corona crisis did not extend a helping hand to farmers, workers, small businesses at all, similarly these farm laws too are an attack on farmers,” he said.
Gandhi had kickstarted the ‘Kheti Bachao Yatra’ in Punjab on Sunday to protest against the recently enacted agriculture reform laws brought by the Centre. The Wayanad Member of Parliament visited various parts of the state and addressed rallies, apart from taking part in roadshows to protest against the laws. He is further slated to arrive in Haryana and conduct roadshows and attend rallies against the laws.
