 "Rahul Gandhi")
In a fierce attack on Narendra Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that in a bid to help his industrialist friends he was weakening the "crying" farmers of the country so that they become labourers and their lands could be acquired effortlessly.
Addressing a rally at Gudugur, Rahul alleged that Modi had no time for "crying" farmers and labourers and wanted to help three or four of his big business friends who are eyeing farmers' land.
"The truth is Narendra Modi has three or four big Industrialist/Business friends, they want your land. They are aware that the land that today costs one or two lakh rupees, after eight or ten years will cost crores of rupees, and they in one or the other way want to acquire your land."
"We may be 40 to 45 (MPs) in Parliament but Indian farmers and labourers are with us. These people are still not aware of the strength of our farmers," he said.
Rahul alleged that the farmers were being weakened in several ways.
"If they can't do it their way, they want to acquire your land by weakening farmers. Narendra Modi wants your land, whose price will increase. So for this, he will not increase MSP, he will not waive off your loan and won't help you."
"He wants Indian farmer to get weakened. They want farmers to turn labourers and farmer's land should go into the hands of those countable people. Congress will not allow this to happen," Rahul said at a rally during his nearly 7-km long padayatra in the district.
Rahul concluded his two-day visit to Karnataka on Saturday, during which he consoled the families of farmers who committed suicide in Mandya and Haveri districts. Both the districts reported most of agrarian crisis-driven suicides in the state.
"Today, in the entire country, farmers and labourers are crying. BJP government is in power, but farmers and labourers feel that it is not their government, it is someone else's government," he said.
"Congress will not allow this to happen," he said.
Giving succour to distressed farmers, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced at the rally waiver of interest and penal interest on crop loans from cooperative banks for the current fiscal. He also announced hike in compensation from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for families of farmers who had committed suicide.
"Farmer is crying, labourer is crying, poor man is crying, but the Prime Minister is touring the world. His aircraft sometimes lands in America, sometimes in China, sometimes in England, it lands in different countries and Modiji comes out, holds meetings and comes back," Rahul said.
Rahul said Modi takes photos with big industry leaders, shakes hand with them, makes "big speeches" on 'Make In India' and 'Swachh Bharat' but in the last one year "I haven't seen even a single photo of Prime Minister with a farmer together.
