After farmer's death, Rahul Gandhi blames Punjab, Modi government of ignoring farm crisis

NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the Modi government and Akali-ruled Punjab of ignoring the farm crisis, renewing attack on the NDA partners in the wake of the suicide by a farmer who met the Congress leader on a recent trip to Punjab.

Surjit Singh consumed poison in Fatehgarh Sahib after being unable to repay his debt. The suicide hit the headlines because of the cruel irony that he had briefed Rahul about the farm crisis and farmers indebtedness at the Sirhind grain market. Rahul visited Punjab in April during the budget session of Parliament.

"Farmers in our country are in deep distress. I urge the Modi-Badal Govt to take action and not continue to ignore their plight," Rahul tweeted.

"Extremely sad to hear of the death of Sardar Surjit Singh who I met when I visited Punjab. My deepest condolences to his family," he said in another tweet.

Rahul had raised the Punjab farmers's plight in Lok Sabha, leading to a sharp confrontation with the government. Three Union ministers including food minister Ramvilas Paswan and food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had questioned Rahul's claims on procurement and slammed him for playing politics in the name of farmers.

The farm crisis following unseasonal rains dominated the political discourse for many weeks with sharp sniping between Congress and the Modi government, but has since lost out to other issues of the day.

However, the suicide by a farmer whom Rahul met on his trip to Punjab, flashed in pictures just a month back, could put the issue back in currency.

Rahul would resume his visit to farm families hit by suicides on June 14 with a two-day trip to Chhattisgarh. He is likely to touch upon Surjit Singh's death to attack the Centre.