Surjewala says he was unwell to explain his absence from Saturday’s Cong. meet, claims party now united to take on Modi govt.

The chief spokesperson says ‘Modi government’s arrogance to be blamed for impasse with farmers, solution doesn’t lie in courts.’

Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala. File

A day after his conspicuous absence from Saturday’s high-profile meeting between the Gandhis and a section of group of 23 dissenters (G-23), Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala on Sunday explained it by stating that he was “unwell”.

Talking about the outcome of the meeting, the Congress leader — perceived to be close to former party chief Rahul Gandhi — claimed that the Congress was now “united” to take on the Modi government.

“ The meeting with Congress president ended on a cordial note. Views of the leaders were heard in a healthy discussion by the leadership. We shall stand united to fight the onslaught of Modi government on our polity,” he said in an interview with The Hindu .

Mr. Surjewala also spoke at length about the on-going farmers’ agitation over the three farm laws and blamed the Narendra Modi government’s “arrogance” behind the deadlock.

He said that “solution to a political issue does not lie in court” and claimed that no farmers’ union approached the Supreme Court to break the deadlock.

“The solution to the impasse arising out of enactment of the three anti-agriculture black laws does not lie in courts. The problem is that the 25 lakh crore agricultural trade is being sought to be handed over by Prime Minister Modi to three-four crony capitalist friends. The conspiracy is one of profiteering at the cost of life of the ‘ annadaata’ [food givers]. The problem is that agriculture, like all other institutions in the country is to be made subservient to the whims and fancies of three-four crony capitalist friends of the Prime Minister,” he alleged.

“So the solution also lies in finding a political solution to the problem and not a legalistic one. No farmer union has gone to the Supreme Court except for certain BJP-sponsored people. The farmers wanted a simple solution and that is immediate repeal of the laws,” Mr. Surjewala added.

Responding to the government’s charge that the Congress was instigating and misleading the farmers, he said, “The government and the BJP are insulting India’s farmers by undermining their wisdom, hard work or their capacity to comprehend issues of their own livelihood by attributing it to the instigation of Congress or other political parties”.

“The Himalayan arrogance is the principal reason for government not stepping down to listen to the agony and anguish of India’s farmers. Prime Minister forgets one basic ingredient. Whenever those in power have been plagued by the make-believe image of invincibility, they have always fallen flat,” he added.