Modi did not do anything for farmers, remembering them before polls: Congress

The Congress Sunday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he launched a money-transfer scheme for small and marginal farmers, alleging he needs a "face-saver" before the general election as he did not do anything for them during his rule.

Party spokesperson Pawan Khera said the government is now remembering farmers as Congress president Rahul Gandhi keeps reminding it about them and that the states ruled by the opposition party have taken measures to benefit peasants.

Earlier Sunday, Modi launched the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, transferring the first instalment of Rs 2,000 each to over one crore farmers.

The farmers will be given Rs 6,000 in three installments per year.

"He (Modi) needs a face-saver. This (scheme) is nothing more than that," Khera said at a press conference and claimed that such pre-poll measures do not work as they did not benefit the Congress as well before the last Lok Sabha election.

He also questioned Modi's "silence" on the hooch tragedy in Assam, where 124 people died, and violence in Arunachal Pradesh to protest permanent resident certificates to six communities.

The BJP is in power in both the states.

In a broad swipe at Modi, Khera said, "He keeps travelling from morning to evening, changing clothes three-four times. But the work for which he was elected he does not do, nor does (BJP) chief ministers do. Why are you silent on such tragedies?"