Farmers showing their damaged crops to Congress President Sonia Gandhi in Rewari, Haryana on Saturday. (Press Trust of India)
After Rajasthan, Congress president Sonia Gandhi visited Bhiwani in Haryana to meet the farmers whose crops were damaged in the recent unseasonal rains in north India. She promised her party's support to raise their concerns and demand for compensation against damaged crops.
For Haryana farmers, it was a rare chance to be heard and they queued up with damaged crops in hands to share their grief with the Congress president.
"I explained to Soniaji that my crop has been destroyed. She assured me that my voice will reach the government," said a farmer.
One after the other, her convoy visited eight villages of the district before she made a strong pitch. "Their wheat and mustard crops have been destroyed, they need due compensation. I appeal to governments to provide immediate relief," Mrs Gandhi said.
But the ruling BJP says that Congress didn't bother about farmers during their 10-year rule.
"Congress ruled the state for 10 years but they never cared about farmers. Then also there were hailstorms, but now they don't have work so they are doing this tourism in the name of farmers," said Haryana minister Anil Vij.
The Jagadish Khattar government in the state has ordered special survey to assess crop damage but the preliminary loss estimates suggest that 25 per cent of wheat and 20 per cent of mustard cros have been destroyed, apart from gram, barley and vegetables.
Mrs Gandhi also visited affected villages in Rewari and Karnal districts. She was accompanied by senior leaders of the state including former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, AICC media in-charge Randeep Surjewala and former Union minister Kumari Selja.
Her visit to the state comes amid increased focus of the party on farmers' issues and its strident opposition to the NDA government's controversial land ordinance, which has brought Opposition parties on one platform.
The Congress president had yesterday visited villages in Kota district of Rajasthan where she met farmers, who have suffered crop and livestock losses, and expressed solidarity with them.