Rahul Gandhi undertakes ‘kisaan padyatra’ in Telangana; BJP says he is trying to revive himself

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday kicked off his 15-km padyatra from Koritical village in Adilabad district to highlight the problems faced by farmers.

On a tour of villages which have witnessed a number of suicides hit by the agrarian distress, the 44-year-old Amethi MP visited the family of Velma Rajeshwar, who had ended his life due to debt burden.

He also met the family of another farmer, who allegedly committed suicide and gave his wife a cheque of Rs lakh.

The padyatra and interaction with farmer families will continue through Laxmanchanda, Pottupalli, Rachapur and Vadial in Laxmanchanda mandal until late afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pulled up Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi over his 'kisaan padyatra' and said that he is trying to 'revive' himself by projecting himself as party president via his march rather than helping farmers.

"The kind of posturing that Rahul Gandhi is doing today is for the world to see. Rahul Gandhi is trying to revive himself and not the farmers. He is trying to revive himself within the folds of the Congress, where there have been views that he is not fit to become the president of Congress. That is the reason why he is doing this 'padyatra'," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told ANI.

Latest updates: 

10:52 IST Friday, 15 May 2015

Rahul Gandhi hands over cheque to farmer’s family

Rahul Gandhi handed over a cheque worth Rs two lakh to the family of Rajeshwar, a farmer who had committed suicide.

7:50 IST Friday, 15 May 2015

Rahul Gandhi to embark on his "kisaan pad-yatra" shortly

Rahul Gandhi outside his hotel in Nirmal (Telangana), to embark on his "kisaan pad-yatra" shortly pic.twitter.com/x6Pfpx1maK

— ANI (@ANI_news) May 15, 2015

Background 

The main Opposition Congress, TDP and BJP allege that hundreds of farmers committed suicide due to the agrarian distress in Telangana since the TRS Government assumed office in June last, a charge denied by the state administration.

The ruling TRS, meanwhile, said the Congress should not play politics on farmer issues.

"A democratic country like India needs a strong Opposition. Rahul Gandhi and Congress should focus on issues that don't backfire on them. Selective amnesia will not serve their interests," TRS MP K Visweswar Reddy said in a statement.

The Congress Vice-President had earlier visited Punjab and Maharashtra, where he interacted with farmers and undertook padayatras.

He has taken on the Modi Government inside and outside Parliament on the land Bill.