UP govt has failed farmers: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra meets kin of farmers who died waiting for fertiliser

Commenting on the `severe` shortage of fertilisers issue, Priyanka Vadra said, `The govt has failed, it has completely ignored farmers. This is not an issue of these 4 farmers alone, this is an issue of the entire Bundelkhand.`

New Delhi: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday (October 29) met the kin of four deceased farmers who died waiting in queue for purchasing agricultural fertilizer in Uttar Pradesh’s Lalitpur. 

Addressing mediapersons, Vadra said, “Lesser quantity of fertiliser is now being given in sacks and the price has been increased. What will they do? They have a lot of issues but govt isn't listening. They know that farmers are on roads for months. They are being mowed down by vehicles.” 

The Congress leader accused the Uttar Pradesh government of failing the farmers and said, “The govt has failed, it has completely ignored farmers. This is not an issue of these 4 farmers alone, this is an issue of the entire Bundelkhand.” 

A Congress spokesperson said Vadra met the families of Bhogi Pal (55) of Naya Gaon village who died after fell seriously ill while standing in the queue for fertilisers, Sohi Ahirwar (40) of Mailwara Khurd who allegedly died by suicide after failing to get fertilisers, Mahesh Kumar Bunker (36) of Banyana Narahat village whose condition deteriorated while standing in the line for fertilisers and Bablu Pal (40) of Pali village who also allegedly died by suicide.

Last week,  Bhogi Pal of Naya Gaon had died due to cardiac arrest at a fertiliser shop, Superintendent of Police, Nikhil Pathak, had told PTI. He was standing in a queue outside the shop for two days. 

On Thursday, Vadra had interacted with her `coolie brothers` or porters at Charbagh railway station in Lucknow, where they shared their problems related to their livelihood and the economic blow they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

(With agency inputs)