Monsoon Session of Parliament : Rahul Gandhi, other Opposition leaders to join protesting farmers at Jantar Mantar today

Opposition leaders at the meeting on August 6

Opposition leaders, including senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, will on August 6 go to Jantar Mantar to express solidarity with farmers who are protesting against the three farm reform laws on the sidelines of the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.

This will be the first organised vist by the Opposition leaders to the protest site of farmers.

“To support farmers' demand for repeal of farm laws, all opposition parties will go to Jantar Mantar today, Rahul Gandhi will also join in,”  Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said. The visit will be at 12: 30 pm.

The decision was taken in the meeting of Opposition leaders ahead of the Monsoon Session proceedings. The meeting was attended by leaders from the Congress, DMK, TMC, NCP, Shiv Sena, RJD, SP, CPIM, AAP, CPI, IUM, RSP, National Conference and LJD

The Opposition parties floor leaders will meet today in Parliament, Kharge said.

As many as 200 farmers have been camping at Jantar Mantar since July 22 as part of the “Kisan parliament’ (farmers’ parliament) against three farm reform laws. The location and timing was chosen to coincide with Parliament’s Monsoon Session that began on July 19.

READ: PM Modi lashes out at Opposition members for their conduct in Parliament

The farmers are protesting against the laws passed last year that allow businesses to freely trade farm produce outside, permit private traders to stockpile large quantities of commodities for future sales and set new rules for contract farming.

The visit comes amid the continuous disruptions in both the Houses of Parliament by the Opposition leaders over the Pegasus Project report, farm reform laws, and price rise.

On August 4, as many as 18 Opposition leaders representing 13 political parties issued a joint statement demanding an informed debate on Pegasus Project report in both Houses of Parliament with a reply by Home Minister Amit Shah. The leaders blamed the Centre for the deadlock in the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.

The Opposition, the statement said, has also unequivocally conveyed that the discussion on the farmers' issues and agitations arising from the “three anti-farmers and black agri-laws” should follow discussions on Pegasus.

The government has dismissed the demand of a debate on Pegasus, saying a statement by Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav in Rajya Sabha was sufficient. The BJP has termed the Pegasus snooping allegations a "non-issue".

Also, read: Pegasus spyware scandal and growing chorus to regulate private surveillance

On August 3, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led a meeting of opposition leaders - the second in a week- over breakfast. Later Gandhi led the Opposition leaders in a cycle march, a symbolic protest against rise in fuel prices.

Thousands of farmers from across the country have been agitating at the Delhi borders against the three farm laws that they claim will do away with the Minimum Support Price system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations.

Also, read: Farmers will hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar from July 22: Farmer union leader

Over 10 rounds of talks with the government, which has been projecting the laws at major agricultural reforms, have failed to break the deadlock between the two parties.