The family members of 60-year-old Surjit Singh, a farmer who committed suicide by consuming poison, on Thursday said that they have no hope of farmers' issues
being addressed by the Punjab government.
"When [Congress vice-president] Rahul Gandhi had met Surjit Singh, he was informed of the crisis that Singh and other farmers were undergoing. Rahul Gandhi had assured us he would voice our opinion in the Parliament. And he did raise the issue but neither the Centre nor the Akali Dal leaders paid heed to it. The Punjab government hasn't even visited us. We have no hope from the Punjab government," said Kulwinder Singh, one of the family members.
"Rahul Gandhi has assured us that he is with us and has asked us to call him whenever in need. He has told us not to worry at all. He has promised us that he will continue to share our woes with the Centre," he added.
Earlier in the day, Gandhi reached Fatehgarh Sahib district in Punjab and met the family members of Surjit Singh.
Singh, from Daduwal village, had met Rahul Gandhi in April at the Sirhind grain mandi, during the latter's whirlwind tour of Punjab mandis.
The deceased farmer had asked Rahul to raise the farmers' issue in the Lok Sabha.
According to reports, Singh owned six acres of land, and had taken another 19 acres on lease. But with his crop failing for two successive seasons, he was unable to pay back the lease amount.
Meanwhile, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Partap Singh Bajwa has reportedly announced the compensation of Rs. two lakh for Singh's family.
