Congress to hold sit-ins in Rajasthan tomorrow to raise farmers' issues: PCC chief Sachin Pilot

Congress will hold sit-ins in all the 33 districts of Rajasthan tomorrow to raise farmers' issues, including farm loan waiver demand.

"The Centre and the state governments are not sensitive towards the issues of farmers and they are fired at when peasants raise their demands. Congress along with farmers will hold dharna in all the district headquarters tomorrow," PCC chief Sachin Pilot said at a press conference here.

"The BJP had promised the farmers 50 per cent profit margin on MSP (minimum support price) but nothing has been done in this direction so far. When farmers raise this demand, they are replied with bullets," he said.

Pilot said that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and others, including himself, had gone to Madhya Pradesh to meet the families of farmers who were killed in firing but the police prevented them to go to Mandsaur.

... the government wants to hear neither the opposition nor the farmers. Hardik Patel also went today but he was also arrested there," he said.

Pilot said that the Congress will also held a farmers' meet in Kota on June 16.

Condemning cow vigilantes, Pilot said that any action in case of smuggling of cows has to be taken by police.

"Alleged cow vigilantes are attacking and killing those carrying cows. If there is something illegal, the action has to be taken by the police and ... action by cow vigilantes is condemnable," he said.

On cow vigilantes targeting Tamil Nadu officials carrying cows in Barmer on Sunday night, he said it is surprising that "there is no reaction from the government so far."

Around 50 cow vigilantes had targeted officials of the Tamil Nadu government transporting cows from Jaisalmer to their state, pelted stones at a truck and blocked National Highway-15 on suspicion of cattle smuggling in Rajasthan's Barmer district.

Four persons were arrested and action against seven policemen including a police inspector has been taken for allegedly not taking the matter seriously and reaching the spot, a senior police official has said.

Pilot also demanded action against those who shouted pro-Pakistan slogans in Didwana town of Nagaur district.

"Action should be taken against all those who shouted slogans and those patronising such elements," the Congress leader said.

On June 2, some persons allegedly raised pro-Pakistan slogans near the Nagauri gate in Didwana town, while returning from the Sub-Divisional Magistrate's (SDM) office.

According to the SHO of Didwana, Jitendra Singh, a case was lodged on June 8 after a video of the incident went viral on social media and three persons were arrested subsequently.

-PTI