Rahul offers solace to kin of farmer who ended life

Friday, 19/06/2015

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PROMISE Congress vice-president meets family of Surjit Singh in Fatehgarh Sahib, says he would take up problems of farming community in Parliament again

DADUMAJRA (FATEHGARH SAHIB): Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday visited the family of a debt-ridden farmer, Surjit Singh, who committed suicide on June 10, a month after he had met the Congress vice-president to apprise him of farmers’ distress due to unseasonal rain.

Expressing solidarity with Surjit’s family, Rahul said he would take up the problems being faced by the farming community in Parliament again. Surjit had met Rahul on April 28 at the Sirhind grain market during the latter’s whirlwind tour of Punjab “mandis”.

GIVES CHEQUE FOR `2 LAKH
Rahul reached Daduwal village on Thursday morning and assured the aggrieved family of all support. He spent about 20 minutes with Surjit’s family members and also handed over a cheque for `2 lakh to them.

Local Congress legislator Kuljit Singh Nagra, senior party leader Inderjit Singh Zira and former member of Parliament Vijay Inder Singla were accompanying Rahul. No other party leader, including state Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa and party’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Captain Amarinder Singh, was aware of Rahul’s visit. After assuring all help to Surjit’s family, the Congress vice-president left for the airport without talking to the media. “It’s a private visit and Rahul does not want to politicise it,” said Nagra.

‘NO WORD FROM STATE GOVERNMENT’
Surjit’s son Kulwinder Singh said Rahul promised them that he would take up the issue with the Union government. “I am touched with the humbleness of Rahul as he specially came from Delhi to visit us. No leader from ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) collation government bothered to visit us,” he said.

Rahul said he would again raise the issue in Parliament as the Narendra Modi-led government was not serious towards the farmers’ problems.

‘30 FARMER SUICIDES IN A MONTH’
“It’s a shame that the SAD-BJP government is spending crores to benefit corporate houses, but is doing nothing to address the farmers’ problems. The Centre is claiming that the government had released compensation to states, but farmers in Punjab have not got any relief to date. More than 30 farmers have committed suicide in the past one month,” said Nagra.