Sonia demands compensation for farmers hit by unseasonal rains

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today said it is the responsibility of the BJP government at the Centre and in Haryana to look into the plight of "poor farmers" and demanded timely compensation for those whose crops were damaged in rains and hailstorm.
"Farmers are our annadatas (the one who feeds). Today, all of us are sad since our annadatas are aggrieved. Looking at the plight of farmers, I think it is the responsibility of all of us that we should unitedly work to provide them succour," she said during her visit to the state.
Her visit comes amid increased focus of the party on farmers' issues and its strident opposition to the NDA government's controversial land bill which has brought opposition parties on one platform.

Gandhi said the main responsibility to help the farmers lies with the government.
"It is obvious that the governments (Centre and state) have the main responsibility. We are not in government either in Haryana or the Centre. Still we will strongly fight to get you proper compensation and relief. We are fighting for you even today and we will fight for you even in future like we had done earlier," Gandhi told farmers in Rathanthal village in Rohtak.
"What do they want? They just want relief.I appeal to the government to give right and timely compensation to these farmers. That is what the government's responsibility is," she said during her visit to Bhadra village in Bhiwani district.

Gandhi, who is on a day-long visit to the state, is also visiting Gurwara village falling under Rohtak Parliamentary seat, represented by Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda.

In the later part of the day she will visit Surakhpur, Jakkhala Road, Gudiani and Mubarikpur chowk and Karnal.
The Congress President had yesterday visited villages in Kota district of Rajasthan where she met farmers, who have suffered crop and livestock losses, and expressed solidarity with them.
The Congress President had led a march of opposition parties to Rashtrapati Bhawan recently against the ordinance on land acquisition which was later passed as a bill by Lok Sabha with nine amendments. Government is yet to table the bill in the Rajya Sabha amid stiff opposition by various political parties.