Rahul takes train to Punjab, meets distressed farmers

Khanna/Sirhind, Flush with newfound confidence post his 56-day break, Rahul Gandhi today traveled ‘general class’ by Sachkhand Express slicing through Haryana before reaching grain bowls of Punjab to see “with my own eyes” the “sufferings” of farmers unable to sell their produce to state agencies in remunerative prices.
At Khanna grain market, considered biggest in Asia, the Gandhi scion alleged the “government of traders” was trying to dilute the pro-farmer provisions in the land acquisition legislation. Speaking from the top of his vehicle, he said: “Both the state and Centre are responsible for the sorry state of farmers. On the one hand the government wants ‘Make in India’, and on the other, it forgets farmers.”
At Sirhind, Rahul said the Congress would raise farmers’ plight in Parliament and other forums.
The wheat crop across hundreds of acres has shriveled in recent unseasonal rain and hail, leaving farmers at the mercy of state help, which is yet to come in full measure, causing distress sale farmer suicides.
Clad in a brown tee and jeans and sporting a stubble, Rahul was accompanied by senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, Punjab Legislature Party leader Sunil Jakhar, state party chief Partap Singh Bajwa and former Punjab CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.
“The cut introduced in procurement rates has badly affected us. Commission agents have stopped giving us loans. We’ll die if the situation continues like this,” Sukhjit S

Comments

comments