Rahul Gandhi meets Telangana farmers, ruling TRS terms the move as ‘politically motivated’

Nirmal (Telangana): Keeping his focus on farmers' issue, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi kicked off his 15-km 'padyatra' on Friday from Koratikal village in Adilabad district to interact with distressed farmers in drought-stricken villages.

Rahul met the family members of Velma Rajeshwar, who allegedly committed suicide due to debt burden of nearly Rs 12 lakh, and consoled them.

Read: Rahul Gandhi begins 'kisaan padyatra' in Telangana

He handed over a Rs two lakh cheque to Rajeshwar's widow Gangavva.

The 44-year-old Amethi MP is also scheduled to meet four more families of farmers, who allegedly killed themselves after being unable to repay loans in Laxmanchanda, Rachapur and Vadial villages.

His foot march is slated to culminate at Vadial village, where he would address a farmers' meeting.

This is Rahul's first visit to Telangana after the formation of the new state, following bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh last year.

Though it was the UPA government's decision to carve out a separate state, the Congress failed to reap dividends in last year's Assembly elections, in which it was humbled by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, led by K Chandrasekhar Rao, which was voted to power.

Read: Rahul in Telangana: 24-hour party begins for Nirmal residents

Rahul's padyatra is in solidarity with farmers and is aimed at instilling a sense of confidence among them and highlighting their woes, according to Telangana Congress leaders.

Ahead of his visit, the ruling TRS had termed the exercise as ‘politically motivated’.

"These Gandhis would come and go," Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had reacted earlier on Rahul's padayatra. The main Opposition Congress, TDP and BJP have alleged 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 ruling party and state administration.

The ruling TRS, meanwhile, said the Congress should not play politics on farmers' 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 Lok Sabha member Konda Vishweshwar Reddy said. 

Read: Rahul Gandhi trying to revive himself with 'kisaan padyatra', says BJP

Secretary General of the ruling TRS, K Keshava Rao, flayed the way streets were flooded with posters and hoardings welcoming Rahul and trying to make his visit a kind of "grand celebration."

"Let's not politicise the human issues. He has come for a tragic incident (farmers' suicides). Let's not pay insult to the people who are in difficulty", the Rajya Sabha member said.

Telangana BJP President G Kishan Reddy said Rahul should first talk about farmers' suicides from 2004 to 2014 in the then undivided Andhra Pradesh when Congress was in power.

"Have you consoled the families of deceased farmers and tried to give them confidence? Didn't you see suicides during your rule? Are you not aware that Union Minister Sharad Pawar said in Rajya Sabha that 21,810 farmers committed suicide in undivided Andhra Pradesh during 2004-2014?" he asked.

"The poor and the farmers are not remembered (by you) when in power. Everybody is remembered after losing power," Reddy said.