The Congress has announced nationwide protests from September 24 against the Narendra Modi government’s three farm legislations aimed at liberalising the agriculture sector, after a meeting of the general secretaries and State in-charges called at the party headquarters on Monday.

“Congress party is leading an agitation against the government for passing this anti-farmer, anti-people laws, throwing all the conventions and the rules of the Rajya Sabha aside,” senior party leader A.K. Antony told presspersons.

The agitation will go on till November 14, which is also the birth anniversary of the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Vengopal said that Monday’s was the first physical meeting of the party office-bearers during the COVID-19 pandemic and that it was called under directions from party president Sonia Gandhi and former party president Rahul Gandhi. “We will begin with press conferences in each State. All State units will deliver memorandum to their respective Governors after marching to the Raj Bhavans. October 2 will be marked as ‘Save Farmers and Farm Labourers Day’. On October 10, State-level Kisaan Sammelans will be held. We will also have a signature campaign that will end on November 14.”

The government may be able muzzle the voice of MPs inside Parliament, but it can’t do so outside Parliament, Mr. Venugopal said.

The party will also submit a memorandum against the farm laws to President Ram Nath Kovind. “The way the government bulldozed the two laws in the Rajya Sabha yesterday, and today’s events are contrary to the democratic ethos of our country. This is totally unacceptable. If the farmers have serious apprehension about the laws, it is obvious that the government should have held wider consultations with all stakeholders,” he said.

Congress leader Ahmed Patel pointed out that the two laws would not only impact the farmers, but also the beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act. “The public food distribution system, minimum support price and government’s food procurement system are all interrelated. This will have far-reaching consequences,” he said.