Crops Destroyed for Rahul Gandhi’s Karnataka Rally And a Controversy is Sown

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Oct 07, 2015:  For Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Karnataka on Saturday, crops have been cleared before harvest from an area the size of roughly three football fields.

A stage is being put up in farm lands near a village in Ranibennur in central Karnataka. Maize grown on four acres of land reportedly belonging to one farmer has been destroyed.

Among the voices of criticism is that of noted historian Ramchandra Guha, who tweeted today: "A poor farmer in Karnataka loses valuable cropland to a stage built for Rahul Gandhi to come and go."

Many have pointed at the irony that Mr Gandhi, the Congress vice president, is to meet the families of farmers who have committed suicide after failed crop due to drought.

The crop was supposed to be cut in 15 days, but that was removed earlier for the high profile visit, said a farmer.

According to the Congress, which rules the state, Mr Gandhi will travel by helicopter to the area and go on a 9 km padyatra or foot-march. The route of this march has allegedly been cleared so the Congress leader won’t be inconvenienced.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to gather for Mr Gandhi’s rally, and sources say patches of land are also being cleared for a makeshift parking lot.

 

Courtesy: NDTV