Rahul to visit farmers in Vidarbha tomorrow

Around 295 ryots ended their life there in 2015

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday will visit five villages in Vidarbha where many farmers have committed suicide.

“This will be the beginning of Rahulji’s and our party’s pan-India movement against the government’s absolute neglect of farming distress in the country,” said Ashok Chavan, Congress MP and the party’s Maharashtra unit chief.

Mr. Gandhi will arrive in Nagpur on Wednesday night and visit Gunji, Shahapur, Ramgaon, Ranjana and Toglabar in Amaravati district of Vidarbha the next day. Amaravati recorded the largest number of farmer suicides in 2015. Around 295 farmers ended their life here, while 215 suicides were witnessed in Aurangabad of the State’s Marathwada region.

Mr. Gandhi will go on a 15-km padyatra, visiting families of those who committed suicide and interacting with other villagers, said Mr. Chavan.

No steps taken: Chavan

When reminded about Mr. Gandhi’s earlier visit to Yavatmal in Vidarbha, Mr. Chavan said the then government initiated several steps to solve the problems of farmers.

“This government is pretending to be asleep and conveniently neglecting the problem. We want it to initiate concrete steps to curb the suicides,” he said.

Mr. Chavan attacked the BJP-led State and Central governments for their “insensitive” handling of farmers’ suicides.