BJP criticises Congress, says govt has announced compensation for farmers

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday said the government has announced that compensation would be given to the farmers hit by unseasonal rains and added that the Congress is hoping to take credit for the tasks or achievements of the NDA government.

BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli, who was reacting to Congress president Sonia Gandhi`s demands that the farmers should be adequately compensated, said any political leaders are in their rights to go and meet anybody they like and take up any political movement. 

"But if they have not heard about this compensation then how are they raising the question that compensation should be given. They should have been aware of it," Kohli said.

"I hope it is not a situation where whatever the government is doing, the Congress party is hoping to take credit for the tasks or the achievements of the NDA Government under Prime Minister Modi," he added.

Earlier in the day, the Congress president appealed to the BJP Government in Haryana to provide timely compensation to farmers, whose crops were damaged in the recent unseasonal rains.

Her visit to the state comes amid increased focus of the party on farmers` issues and its strident opposition to the NDA government`s controversial land ordinance, which has brought opposition parties on one platform.

"What do they want? They just want relief. I appeal to the government to give right and timely compensation to these farmers. That is what the government`s responsibility is," she said during her visit to Bhadra village in Bhiwani district.

Sonia Gandhi, who is on a day-long visit to the state, would be visiting Gurwara, Surakhpur, Jakkhala Road, Gudiani, Mubarikpur chowk and Rattanthal villages of Rohtak apart from visiting Karnal.

The Congress president had yesterday visited the villages in Rajasthan`s Kota district where she met the farmers, who have suffered crop and livestock losses, and expressed solidarity with them.