Rahul must break silence on Punjab farmer suicides: Tarun Chugh

Chandigarh, October 27, 2017: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has questioned the silence of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi over the suicides of farmers in Punjab.

Tarun Chugh, the national general secretary of the BJP, today said that it was shameful that Rahul has chosen not to speak about more than 300 suicides by farmers of the state due to the promise of debt waiver not honoured by Capt Amarinder Singh-led government in Punjab.

He said Rahul continues to shed crocodile tears over the plight of various sections of society across India except Punjab. He said the 'Italian glasses' worn by Rahul were not allowing him to see the plight of farmers, unemployed youths, widows and elderly without pension, Dalits and other sections who were expecting that they would get what was promised to them in Congress manifesto.

"The people of the state are disappointed as the tall claims made by Congress leaders and the promises made in Congress manifesto have not been honoured even after passage of nearly 7 months even as it was said that the needful will be done immediately the Congress government takes over," he said.

Chugh said most of the farmers had stopped paying instalments to banks but have now become 'defaulters' as the Congress did not keep its promises.

Terming Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal's anti-people policies as the root cause of farmer suicides, Chugh said the other sections of the society were too realising their folly of electing Congressmen to Assembly who were not taking up the cases of their respective constituencies just to remain in good books of Capt Amarinder Singh as he was still to expand his cabinet and appoint Chairmen to various boards and corporations.

Chugh said Rahul should show courage to meet families of farmers who have committed suicides and youth who were awaiting to get jobs as promised by Congress government. He said the Congress vice-president should have the guts to come to Punjab and meet people who have been burdened with a huge hike in power tariff.