Top Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, on Thursday, launched a scathing attack at the Centre over its denial to provide financial assistance to the kin of farmers who lost their lives during the year-long farmers’ protest.   

The government, on Wednesday, had said that it still has no plans on providing financial assistance to kin of farmers who died during agitation.  

The government said that the union ministry of agriculture and farmers’ welfare has no record of death of farmers during protests.  

“The ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare has no record in the matter and hence the question does not arise,” the Centre informed the Parliament on Wednesday. 

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Reacting to the Centre’s stand on not providing financial assistance to families of farmer victims, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to give any respect to those farmers who died during farm laws agitation. 

Addressing a mega election rally at Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi said: “PM didn’t pay any respect to the farmers, who died in agitation against farm laws.” 

She added: “It will take only Rs 4000 crores for clearing all dues of sugarcane farmers. PM Modi bought private aircraft in Rs 8000 crores last year during COVID-19 pandemic. Centre is paying Rs 20,000 crores for beautification of Parliament, but don’t have money to clear your dues.” 

Farmer leaders maintain that over 700 farmers perished while protesting against the contentious farm laws at the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders since November 2020.  

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Despite the passage of the Farm Laws Repeal Bill in the Parliament, the farmer leaders have said that protest will go on till the government accepts their demand to provide legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP).   

They have also demanded withdrawal of the police cases lodged against protesting farmers, as well as compensation for the kin of the farmers who died during the protests.