This Article is From Jan 23, 2016

In Bundelkhand, Rahul Gandhi Attacks PM Modi For 'Ignoring Farmers'

In Bundelkhand, Rahul Gandhi Attacks PM Modi For 'Ignoring Farmers'

Rahul Gandhi will walk seven kms and hold a meeting in Supa village to interact with the villagers.

Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh:

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a public meeting in Mahoba district in Bundelkhand, saying he ignored the welfare of farmers over industrialists.

"Modi ji give some thought to the farmers and labourers of India only industrialists don't run the country," he said.

Mr Gandhi, who began his 7 km padhyatra of drought-hit Bundelkhand from Mahoba, also said, "I will speak in Parliament on how this government is treating the farmers of the country."

The Congress president during his tour will hold a meeting with the mahila self-help group at Supa railway station and farmers in Laadpur village.

Bundelkhand region, home to 18.3 million people as per the 2011 census, is blighted with drought and unseasonable rains that has destroyed standing winter crops.

In the past few years, several farmers have committed suicide due to poor crop production in 13 districts that comprise the region.

The promised compensation by Uttar Pradesh government has not trickled down to those who need them the most. With no money for seeds and no water for irrigation, farmers have gone desperate, local leaders alleged.

With Opposition parties getting active in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh in run up to the 2017 Assembly polls, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has said his government would make necessary efforts to address the issues the area confronts.

After a Cabinet meeting on Monday, Mr Yadav had said Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan recently visited the region to take stock of the developmental scheme and he himself would visit Bundelkhand.

"We have taken a decision on the works to be carried out under MNREGA... In coming times, I'll also visit Bundelkhand. My government will help the region in every possible way," he said.

Over a month back, Mr Gandhi had visited western UP to interact with sugarcane growers hit hard due to failure of sugar mills to give their dues.

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