Can Priyanka Gandhi distinguish between sugarcane and chari, asks Suresh Rana

Can Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra or other members of the Gandhi family distinguish between sugarcane and chari, a locally-grown fodder crop, asked Uttar Pradesh minister Suresh Rana.

This was his reply when he was asked about Priyanka Gandhi's attack on the government over a recent news report that claimed dues of sugarcane farmers had crossed Rs 10,000 crore in Uttar Pradesh.

"When the Congress was in power, it did not pay dues to the farmers. If Priyanka Gandhi or any other member of the Gandhi family can distinguish between sugarcane and chari, I will start believing that they have the right to speak on farmers," he told PTI in an interview.

The UP minister of state (independent charge) for sugarcane development and sugar mills also claimed that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has "accepted moral defeat" and has "fled from Amethi".

On the steps taken by the Yogi Adityanath government for cane farmers, Rana said, "When our government was formed, there were pending cane dues but so far, dues amounting to nearly Rs 60,000 crore have been paid."
When asked whether the BJP has been able to overcome last year's shocking defeat in the Kairana bypolls, Rana said, "The by-elections were not for electing or deciding the prime minister of the country or the chief minister of the state."
Taking a jibe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi on contesting from Wayanad in Kerala in addition to Amethi, he said, "Rahul Gandhi has fled from Amethi. People of that place have seen a glimmer of development (vikaas ka diyaa) only during the five years of Modi government."
On the SP-BSP-RLD alliance, he said, "There have been attempts to forge alliances on the basis of caste, but these are not natural unions. This is only an alliance of leaders, and not of their votes or party workers. People have forged a natural alliance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
On the importance of western Uttar Pradesh, Rana said, "Since it is situated in close proximity to the National Capital Region, hence the western part of the state also has its share of importance in national politics."