Nagpur: Targeting Congress general secretary
Rahul Gandhi, BJP president Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that
Kalavati Bandurkar, the farmer`s widow from Vidarbha, got no
help from government.
Speaking at the function to mark opening of crushing
season at his Purti sugar factory at Belo near here, the BJP
president offered aid of Rs one lakh to her.
Kalavati, whose husband, a farmer, committed suicide in
2005, became face of the crisis faced by families in
Vidarbha`s `suicide belt`, after Rahul mentioned her in his
Lok Sabha speech during trust vote.
Gadkari said that though Rahul met her, no financial
assistance was given to her. Her son-in-law, and recently her
daughter too, committed suicide, Gadkari said.
Gadkari criticised the government for not being serious
about promoting use of ethanol-blended petrol, which, he said,
could save on petrol consumption.
He said the BJP-ruled states such as Karnataka and Madhya
Pradesh were offering loans to farmers at one percent interest
rate, while Maharashtra offered crop loans at 12-13 per cent.
Even a luxury car can be bought at a lower interest rate of 8
per cent, he said.
Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh and Madhya Pradesh Chief
Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan were present at the function.
Rajnath said that UPA government had failed to take concrete
pro-farmers measures.
Chouhan lauded Gadkari`s efforts to motivate local
farmers and help them.
PTI
