One who fights the farmer, fights God: Cong’s Harish Rawat warns Centre

As the farmers' agitation entered the 25th day on Sunday, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and general secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Harish Rawat visited one of the protest sites here on the Delhi border, warning the Central government, saying "the one who will fight the farmer, will fight with God".

Rawat's comments came during his afternoon visit at Ghazipur on Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in east Delhi where hundreds of farmers belonging to western Uttar Pradesh have been protesting on the road since November 27. The farmers are supporting thousands of other farmers sitting on the agitation since November 26 at Singhu and Tikri borders between Delhi and Haryana, braving the chilly winter nights under open skies.

Raising 'Kisan Ekta Zindabad' slogan while addressing the demonstrators at Ghazipur border, Rawat said: "I have come here as a farmer. One who will fight the farmer will fight with God."

Rawat also warned the Central government to "understand" the message, saying he has not come at the protest site to do politics.

The ongoing farmers' agitation has been a major challenge for the Central government as there is no solution to the issue even after 25 days of continuous protest with both sides adamant -- farmers seeking withdrawal of three contentious farm laws enacted in September during Monsoon Session of Parliament and the government rejecting farmers' demand saying it is ready to make amendments but cannot scrap these laws which are beneficial for the farmers.

Rawat's visit comes a day after his meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi in Delhi in which he is learnt to have raised the political situation of Uttarakhand, Punjab and the ongoing farmer agitation.

The former Uttarakhand CM's involvement in such moves is significant as the Assembly elections are scheduled in Uttarakhand in the early part of 2022 and it is speculated that the Congress can bring Rawat at centrestage for the crucial battle.

The Uttarakhand Congress is divided sharply into factions headed by Rawat and combined faction led by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Pritam Singh and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Indira Hridayesh.