PTI
NIRMAL, MAY 15
Keeping his focus on farmers' issue, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today kicked off his 15-km 'padyatra' from Koratikal village in Adilabad district to interact with distressed farmers in drought-stricken villages. Rahul met the family members of Velma Rajeshwar, who allegedly committed suicide due to debt burden of nearly Rs 12 lakh, and consoled them.
He handed over a Rs two lakh cheque to Rajeshwar's widow Gangavva.
The 44-year-old Amethi MP is also scheduled to meet four more families of farmers, who allegedly killed themselves after being unable to repay loans in Laxmanchanda, Rachapur and Vadial villages.
His foot march is slated to culminate at Vadial village, where he would address a farmers' meeting.
This is Rahul's first visit to Telangana after the formation of the new state, following bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh last year.
Though it was the UPA government's decision to carve out a separate state, the Congress failed to reap dividends in last year's Assembly elections, in which it was humbled by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, led by K Chandrasekhar Rao, which was voted to power.
Rahul's padyatra is in solidarity with farmers and is aimed at instilling a sense of confidence among them and highlighting their woes, according to Telangana Congress leaders. Ahead of his visit, the ruling TRS had termed the exercise as "politically motivated."
"These Gandhis would come and go," Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had reacted earlier on Rahul's padayatra.
The main Opposition Congress, TDP and BJP have alleged that hundreds of farmers committed suicide due to the agrarian distress in Telangana since the TRS government assumed office in June last, a charge denied by the ruling party and state administration. The ruling TRS, meanwhile, said the Congress should not play politics on farmers' issues.
"A democratic country like India needs a strong Opposition. Rahul Gandhi and Congress should focus on issues that don't backfire on them. Selective amnesia will not serve their interests," TRS Lok Sabha member Konda Vishweshwar Reddy said.
Centre can't take away an inch of farmers' land: Scindia
Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia today said his party will not allow the Central government to take away even an inch of farmers' land under the proposed Land bill which was passed in the Lok Sabha.
"We will not allow taking away of a single inch of farmers' land and we will fight against the Government from Parliament to street," Scindia said while addressing a programme in Umri village of the district. The Land bill is currently stuck in the Rajya Sabha as Central government lacks majority in the Upper House.
Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "56 inch chest" remark during last year's General election campaign, Scindia said, "He might have 56-inch chest but we have a 56-inch heart which beats for the farmers."
Congress MP from Guna alleged the state government for acting in a partisan manner on the issue of opening government medical college in Shivpuri and Chhindwara, because his party won from Guna and Chhindwara constituencies in the Lok Sabha elections. Scindia, however, lauded Union Health Minister Jaiprakash Nadda for taking immediate step in this regard when he discussed the issue with him.
"When I brought the issue of state government delaying the process (setting up of medical college), Nadda took it very seriously and wrote a letter on April 20, directing the state government to send across the signed MoU, so that funds could be allocated for the same," he said.
He also alleged the state government of step-motherly treatment in allocation of land for NTPC College, sewage and water conservation schemes in his constituency.
