Union Minister Prakash Javadekar has challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for an open debate on whether the farm reforms introduced by the Centre are in the interest of farmers or not.

Lashing out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the farm laws, Mr. Javadekar said "he appears in public once in a fortnight" and challenged him for an open debate on the central legislations.

Rahul Gandhi on Thursday called the farmer protests a 'Satyagraha' and urged the people to support the farmers agitating against the three farm laws passed by the Central government. Citing a media report alleging the new laws used to dupe farmers, Rahul Gandhi had tweeted: "Farmers in India are agitating against anti-agricultural laws to avoid such a tragedy. In this Satyagraha, we all have to support the annadata of the country."

The 'Delhi Chalo' farmers' protest along Delhi's borders has entered the 31st day on Saturday. Meanwhile, many rounds of discussion between ministers and farmers' leaders have failed to produce a breakthrough so far.

The farmers' protest against the farm laws has become a strong topic for debate across India because "some farmers and their political masters have launched their agitation in and along New Delhi, showing as if it is all-India phenomenon and in the interest of farmers of India. "But farmers everywhere are happy with the new laws and the farmers'' welfare schemes will continue," the minister said.

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