Neither CM Akhilesh Yadav nor ministers visited rain-hit farmers: UP BJP

LUCKNOW: Accusing the Uttar Pradesh government of showing scant concern towards farmers, BJP today said neither Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav nor any of the state ministers paid them a visit in the aftermath of unseasonal rains and hailstorm.

"Neither the chief minister, his ministers nor officials have gone to meet farmers in the villages to get to know about their problems," BJP state unit President Laxmikant Bajpai said.

"From chief minister to officials, all are making tall claims and announcements in connection with farmers, whereas senior ministers of the central government, Nitin Gadkari and others, personally took stock of the situation in Agra, Meerut and Aligarh yesterday," he said.

"The central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to the welfare of farmers and is standing firm with them at this difficult juncture," he said.

Expressing concern over cases of farmer suicides due to crop losses, Bajpai said had the state government ensured prompt payment of the relief runds through the district magistrates, many lives would have been saved.

Citing newspaper reports, he said that so far more than 240 farmers have committed suicide due to crop losses.