New Delhi, February 12 With trade unions observing a day-long strike against the Centre's policies, the Congress on Thursday expressed support for them, and Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government ignored the voices of workers and farmers while making decisions concerning their future.
Gandhi questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would listen to them now, or if there was a "grip" on him that was too strong.
Employees and workers associated with a joint forum of central trade unions observed a day-long strike on Thursday to show their "resistance to anti-worker, anti-farmer, and anti-national policies that favor corporations" of the central government.
The forum has claimed that 30 crore workers are being mobilized for a "general strike" to protest against the new labour code, among other issues.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that all the country's trade unions, farmers, and workers are on the streets against the Modi government's trade deal, labour laws, and the "denial of MGNREGA".
"We stand firmly against the anti-people TRAP DEAL, which has mortgaged the future of millions of toiling farmers, workers, and labourers. Succumbing to foreign pressure, the Modi government has interfered in the lives of crores of citizens of the country," he alleged.
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Modi, Kharge said that those who chanted "Abki baar Trump sarkaar" have harmed India's national interest, and the biggest opposition comes from our workers, small traders, and the common people.
"From the streets to Parliament, our struggle will continue," Kharge added.
Gandhi alleged that the government ignored the voices of workers and farmers while making decisions concerning their future and asked whether Prime Minister Modi will listen to them now or if there is a "grip" on him that is too strong.
Gandhi's attack on the government came a day after he alleged that the India-US interim trade deal was a "wholesale surrender", with India's energy security handed over to America and farmers' interests compromised.
In a post on X in Hindi, Gandhi said, "Today, lakhs of workers and farmers across the country are on the streets to raise their voices for their rights."
He said that the workers fear that the four labour codes will weaken their rights.
"Farmers fear that the trade agreement (with the US) will harm their livelihoods. And weakening or eliminating MNREGA could take away the last source of support for villages," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said.
"Will Modiji listen now? Or is there a 'grip' on him that is too strong? I stand firmly with the issues and struggles of workers and farmers," Gandhi said.
Speaking with reporters in the Parliament House complex, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also expressed support for the workers and farmers, saying that whatever the government is doing is completely wrong.
"They are betraying the farmers. The kind of trade deal they have signed will result in suffering for farmers. We are supporting the labour unions in their strike today," she said.
In a no-holds-barred attack on the Modi government, Rahul Gandhi, while participating in the debate on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, claimed that Indian interests had been "surrendered" under the trade deal to protect the BJP's financial architecture.
Slamming the Indo-US deal, Gandhi drew an analogy of how in martial arts after securing a grip, the next step is a chokehold, and then the opponent taps to give up.
Gandhi underlined the need to protect the country's people, data, food supply, and energy system.
He said that had an INDIA bloc government negotiated the trade agreement with the US, it would have told President Donald Trump that he must treat India equally.
