'PM Abandoned Farmers': Rahul, Sonia Gandhi Attack Government Over Land Bill

New Delhi: Days after his return from a two-month absence, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi addressed a mega rally of farmers at Delhi's Ramlila Grounds. The rally is aimed at taking the battle to the government over the land acquisition bill.

Party president Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also addressed the rally.

Here is what Rahul Gandhi said:

• Farmers and labourers are a worried lot in India today because they feel the government has forgotten them.
• Farmers are afraid of the changes that are being introduced to the (land) bill we had brought in 2013.
• Today, when a farmer goes to bed, he doesn't know what will happen to his land the next day. He is living in fear.
• Farmers strengthened the nation before industrialists. They feed the nation.
• Whenever the Congress government could help the farmers, we did it.
• We waived off farmers' loans worth 70,000 crore rupees.
• We brought in MNREGA for the labourers.
• Whatever we did, we did for the poor.
• We have always worked for the poor and the weak, and we will continue to fight their battle.
• I will fight your battles.
• In Niyamgiri, I met adivasis and pledged my support to them.
• The Prime Minister does not under stand the power of the farmers.
• Words uttered by Modiji abroad, about cleaning 50 years of filth, don't befit him or the office of the Prime Minister.
• I will take you to Australia, to the site of the largest diamond mine. They took me to meet the families who had been displaced by the mine. When I went there, I saw five labourers and I was told the land of the mine belonged to them. I was told, 'We trained them and gave them jobs.'
• Modiji took loans from the industrialists when he was fighting the elections, and to pay them back, he will give them your land.
• In the Gujarat model, Modiji showed industrialists he can snatch away land from farmers easily.
• Earlier they would take your land and not pay you. We changed that.  We offered farmers four times the market rate.
• The BJP did away with the consent clause, which enabled farmers to give consent before their land is taken away from them.
• 'Make in India' is Modiji's dream that will not work. They will take away your land and you will have no other employment.
• If they really want to 'Make in India', then why have they changed the five-year clause? We had said if nothing is built on acquired land in five years, it will be given back to the farmers.
• Congress will stand with you. If they try to take your land, we will be there. You will see Congress workers there, you will see me there.

Here is what Sonia Gandhi said:

• By coming here today in such large numbers  you have strengthened our resolve.
• We are here to send a strong message to the Prime Minister and his government: 'Enough is enough.' (Ab bahut ho chuka hai)
• Unseasonal rain has destroyed the lives of the farmers and the Modi sarkar has done nothing.
• The relief that is being announced for farmers is now next to nothing. It feels as if they are rubbing salt in your wounds.
• BJP is conspiring against farmers. They have introduced amendments to a law that they had consented to, and is pro-farmer.
• The amendments are being made to benefit corporates and industrialists.
• They do not bother if you want to sell your land or not. If the land is not utilized within five years, there is no guarantee when will you get it back.
• The government isn't ready to procure wheat from farmers, but is signing import deals with Australia.
• The PM who proclaimed 'sabka saath, sabka vikaas' has abandoned the farmers.
• They (the government) say one thing and do another.
• This energy today is what we need to fight against the injustice to farmers.
• We may be out of power but there will be no let up in our intensity of fighting for the farmers.
• The voice of farmers is neither suppressed, nor can it be suppressed.

Here are the highlights of what Manmohan Singh said:

• Congress has always fought for the rights of farmers and under Soniaji and Rahulji's leadership, we will be successful.
• During poll campaign, Modiji used to go around saying they will work for farmers but nothing of that sort has happened.
• Ordinance against 2013 bill we brought is aimed at wiping out all benefits for farmers. We will fight against these laws.