Modi's love for farmers a sham: Congress

The Congress leader also highlighted the "unprecedented plight" of the sugarcane growers in western Uttar Pradesh, saying that the arrears were not being paid.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting. (PTI Photo/File)

Lucknow: The Congress on Monday termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's love and concern for farmers as a sham and alleged that the agriculture sector was in crisis even as the union government was dishing out false claims. Spokesman of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) Priyanka Gupta said that a recent incident where a potato farmer in Agra got Rs 490 against a sale of 19,000 kg of his produce exposed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments.  "Farmers are neck-deep in debts but both the state and union governments were looking the other way," she said. The Congress leader also highlighted the "unprecedented plight" of the sugarcane growers in western Uttar Pradesh, saying that the arrears were not being paid. "Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had said that all arrears would be cleared by November 30, 2018, but this has not happened and farmers as a result are not being able to pay power bills and the power department is cutting their connections, sending them recovery notices," Gupta said. She also cited the growing incidences of suicides by farmers and said that be it farmers of tomato, potato or any other crop they are suffering huge losses due to the "faulty policies and indifference of the governments".