Chaos mars visit as Rahul gandhi gets to meet few farmers at Punjab mandis

Rahul Gandhi tells party workers to move away from grain pile at Mandi Gobindgarh in Fatehgarh Sahib Tuesday.(Express photo by: Gurmeet Singh)

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had taken the train to Punjab with plans to meet distressed farmers, who have been agitating over non-procurement of their harvest. However, his visit was largely spent controlling party workers who vied with each other to get clicked with the party vice-president.

Read: Rahul Gandhi travels in train to take stock of farmers’ situation in Punjab

Ambala: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi at Ambala Railway Station on Tuesday. PTI Photo

As he entered Sirhind mandi in Fatehgarh Sahib, Rahul found just a couple of farmers. But, before he could talk to them in detail, Congress workers pounced on him.

Read: Rahul Gandhi’s Kisan Padayatra to begin from Vidarbha

“Where are the farmers? Bring the farmers. I am here to meet them,” Rahul kept telling local MLAs and state Congress leaders, including the party’s state chief Partap Singh Bajwa.

As Congress workers jumped on heaps of wheat to catch a glimpse of the party vice-president, Rahul was heard saying: “Do not step on the wheat grains. Move away from there”.

Santok Singh, a farmer from Sangrur, said, “My produce is lying since eight days in Sirhind mandi. Rahul Gandhi has come here when the purchase season is almost over and farmers are no longer at mandis. This visit is too late. Ten days back, the visit would have helped us.”

Ambala: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on-board Sachkhand Express, on his way to Punjab, in Ambala on Tuesday. (PTI Photo)

It was raining when Rahul reached Mandi Gobindgarh. The situation at the mandi was a repeat of the chaos at Sirhind. Former Sangrur MP Vijay Inder Singla, who was accompanying Rahul, had a fall in the chaos.

A while later, a daily wage labourer was presented before Rahul as a farmer. “”I am a labourer, not a farmer,” pleaded the guy as he was pushed to talk to the Congress vice-president.

As Congress workers kept stepping on grains to get clicked with Rahul, a farmer was heard saying: “This visit has spoiled my grains. I am not interested in meeting anyone.”

The scene was no different in Khanna, Asia’s largest grain market.

Ambala: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi at Ambala Railway Station on Tuesday. PTI Photo

Some 300 labourers were waiting there to meet Rahul. But, thanks to Congress workers, chaos broke out again and they could not talk to the Congress vice-president.

In a short address to Congress workers and mediapersons, Rahul said, “The government led by PM Narendra Modi is a government of industrialists. It is being run by a group of corporate houses who are not bothered about the plight of farmers.”

He added, “Modi talks about ‘Made in India’ and see this is how our ‘Made in India’ foodgrains are being treated. The sweat and blood of farmers is lying unattended in mandis.”

Speaking on the contentious land bill, Rahul said, if passed, it will be a ‘draconian’ law. “In no way, land of farmers should be taken without their consent.”

Rahul was to spend the night at home of local MLA Gurkirat Kohli at Kotli village. But, the plan was cancelled due to lack of proper security arrangements, Congress sources said.

Source:: Indian Express