Rahul Gandhi holds road show in Gorakhpur, blames PM for not waiving loans of poor farmers

Soon after his arrival in Gorakhpur, Rahul Gandhi said, ''The Centre has forgotten the farmers of country."a

Gorakhpur: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi held a road show in the Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh on the second day of his 2,500-km 'Kisan Yatra' which began from Deoria yesterday.

Soon after his arrival here, Rahul said, ''The Centre has forgotten the farmers of country."

Lashing out at the Prime Minister, the Gandhi scion said, "Modi waved off the loans of rich farmers and not the ones coming from poor background.''

He, however, assured that the Congress party will make sure that voices of farmers are heard.

"Like we had waived of Rs 70,000 crore debt for farmers, we will put pressure on NDA government to do the same in interest of farmers," he added.

His office later tweeted a picture of his road show in Gorakhpur.

Roadshow begins from University Chouraha, Gorakhpur pic.twitter.com/7omVIcTAP1 — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) September 7, 2016

Earler today, Rahul Gandhi also met Encephalitis patients at Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur.

The Gandhi scion had accused the Narendra Modi government of ignoring the plight of farmers while interacting with locals in Deoria.

Addressing a huge gathering at Rudrapur in Deoria, Gandhi said Modi was ready to waive off loans of rich corporates but wasn't willing to do that in the case of farmers.

"Modiji is writing off loans of rich corporates. He should do the same for farmers in Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere in the country," he said.

"We have embarked on this Yatra to know the problems of the farmers and to help Modiji understand the situation too."

As part of his ''Deoria to Delhi Yatra'', Gandhi will cover 39 districts spread over 55 of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

Rahul yesterday said that he and his party would always stand by the distressed farmers.

Later, addressing a rally at Banwari Tola in Siswa Mahant village, he said, "We will not allow an inch of their land to be taken forcibly for developmental or any other purposes.

Gandhi suggested that the government could help the farmers in three ways.

One, by writing off loans taken by them. Second, by slashing electricity bills to half and third by increasing the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

Gandhi demanded to know why there was a huge gap between the market price of pulses and the price at which farmers sell them.

Earlier, Gandhi offered prayers at a Shiva temple - Baba Dugdheshwarnath - and then started his Yatra in a specially designed bus.

Dressed in a white starched kurta and a blue jeans, Gandhi had tea at a Dalit's home on way to Kushinagar, 15 km from Deoria city. He munched corn at a roadside halt.

The first such event went awry on Tuesday when soon after the event ended with Gandhi's speech, farmers jostled to grab some 2,000 string cots which were bought by the Congress.