Govt shows shocking insensitivity, arrogance towards farmers: Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi [India], January 22 (ANI): Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government over the ongoing farmers' agitation, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Friday said the Centre has shown 'shocking insensitivity and arrogance' towards the farmers.

Chairing the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Gandhi said, "The agitation of farmers continues and the government has shown shocking insensitivity and arrogance going through the charade of consultations."

She emphasised that the three farm laws were prepared in haste and the Parliament was 'consciously denied' an opportunity to examine their implications and impacts.

"Our position has been very clear from the very beginning: we reject them categorically because they will destroy the foundations of food security that are based on the three pillars of MSP, public procurement and PDS," said Gandhi.

Expressing hope for a successful vaccination drive against COVID-19, the Congress interim president said, "The Government has inflicted untold suffering on the people of our country by the manner in which it has managed the Covid-19 pandemic. It will take years for the scars to heal."

Laying emphasis on defence confidentiality, she said that 'national security' has been 'thoroughly compromised' by the present regime. "Leaking of official secrets of military operations is treason. Those who give certificates of patriotism and nationalism to others now stand totally exposed," she added.

She further criticised the central government for 'refusing to extend a lifeline' to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) and the informal sector leading to a 'grim economic situation'.

"When public expenditure has to be carefully prioritized, it is very painful to find huge amounts of money being allocated and spent on initiatives that can only be described as 'personal vanity projects'," she added

Gandhi also accused the central government of weakening the labour and environmental laws and 'selling off and built-up public assets'.

"Panic privatization has gripped the Government and this is something that the Congress party can never accept and support," she said. (ANI)