M Venkaiah Naidu terms Rahul Gandhi's visit to Mandsaur as 'photo opportunity'

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Coimbatore: The BJP today termed Rahul Gandhi's visit to Mandsaur as a 'photo opportunity' and said the Congress leader, who should be a role model for the youth, was found moving on a motorcycle with three persons in violation of rules.

"As usual Rahul rushed to Mandsaur, the scene of firing on farmers in Madhya Pradesh, for a photo opportunity and he rode pillion on a two-wheeler with two persons already occupying, which is a gross violation of rules," Venkaiah Nadu told reporters here.

"There was no head gear, which is mandatory for motorcycle riders," he said.

Those who should be role models are themselves found violating the rules, the minister said.

The Congress leader rushed to the area "only for photo opportunity," Naidu said, adding nothing was heard about one Kalavathi, in whose house he visited during an election campaign.

"Just like (that), this is also for photo opportunity and after that he will forget," Naidu said.

Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders were detained by the police when they tried to make their way to Mandsaur, ground zero of the protests.

The farmers in western Madhya Pradesh, particularly Mandsaur and Dewas districts, have been protesting for a week now, demanding debt relief and better crop prices.

The protest, however, has been marred by violence and killings of peasants allegedly in police firing.