One year of Mandsaur farmers' agitation: Rahul Gandhi to meet kin of peasants killed in 2017 police firing

New Delhi: Ahead of Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Mandsaur on Wednesday, the party on Tuesday accused Narendra Modi government of being anti-farmer and said the Congress chief will meet the families of the farmers killed in police firing last year. [caption id=“attachment_4438821” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. PTI[/caption] The party also hit out at the government for putting national security at stake, saying the soldiers were now being asked to stitch their own uniform. “This government is anti-farmer, anti-poor and is also putting the security of the country at risk because of its wrong policies,” said Congress leader Mohan Prakash. “The farmers of the country are in distress. They are on strike for the past five days. They are disturbed for the past four years because prices of whatever items they need to buy have doubled. And, whatever they produce and sell, their prices have halved. But Modi government didn’t get time to address these issues in the past four years.” The Congress leader slammed PM Modi, saying while farmers were committing suicide, the prime minister was busy flying kites in Indonesia in order to facilitate the business interests of Adani Group. “On 6 June 2017, six farmers in Mandsaur (of Madhya Pradesh) were killed in police firing. Tomorrow (Wednesday), all farmers will gather at that place and the Congress president will pay homage to the deceased and meet the families,” said Prakash. He said the true face of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments was visible as still there were cases against 7,000 farmers. “Last week, MP government got bonds signed by 11,000 farmers. They got 4,500 people in Mandsaur, Neemuch, and Ratlam villages sign bonds as if they are goons.” The leader said in Maharashtra, 58 farmers died due to pesticides last year and more than 1,000 farmers were admitted in hospitals. “But even now Union Agriculture Minister Radhamohan Singh and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have not been able to say what chemical or pesticide caused the death of farmers. “A farmer wrote a note and committed suicide. He held the PM and the chief minister responsible for his death. Why no complaint was lodged? Another farmer committed suicide in a village adopted by both chief minister and prime minister. The BJP and Maharashtra government have not spoken a word about it,” he added. Prakash further said that 373 jawans had died on the borders while the primemMinister preferred to visit Pakistan uninvited to have “biryani”. “Now, there are media reports that soldiers are being asked to stitch thier own uniforms. The country has gone into the hands of those who are working against its well-being. “The banking system has been weakened under the watch of the government, with the economy, pride and the self-respect of the country being badly hit,” Prakash added.