Sonia blames Centre for farmers' suicide

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR, SEPT. 10. Voicing concern over the worsening scenario in the agriculture sector, the AICC President, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, on Monday held the BJP-led Union Government responsible for the increasing number of cases of suicide by farmers.

Addressing a rally at Hirepadasalagi village in Bagalkot District after inaugurating Jamkhandi Sugars Ltd., she said the Centre was citing the WTO agreement for all its omissions and was shirking from its responsibility. There was enough stock of foodgrains in the godowns but the farmers and the poor people were ending their lives in disgust, she regretted.

Ms. Gandhi, who was presented with a silver sword, said the BJP leaders and its friendly parties ``doled out'' assurances one after another before the elections. But soon after the elections, they forgot them.

However, regarding the drought situation in the State, Ms. Gandhi said she had asked the State Government to go to the rescue of the affected people.

About the Jamkhandi Sugars Ltd. and the Chikkapadasalagi Barrage across the Krishna, both creations of farmers, she, in an unusual gesture, lauded the efforts made by the former Union Minister of State for Coal and the Chairman of sugar factory, Mr. Siddu Nyamegouda. She said these two ventures of farmers would remain as a shining example in the movement of farmers to achieve self- reliance.

However, the much publicised ``Rajata Tulabhara'' which the Congressmen planned to bestow on Ms. Sonia Gandhi, along with Chief Minister, Mr. S. M. Krishna, did not take place as she refused to accept the honour citing drought. Yet she did not fail to recall the event in 1963 when the late Indira Gandhi was weighed with gold by the people of Bijapur as a contribution to the National Defence Fund. So, the organisers handed over a cheque for Rs. 5 lakhs to her and another cheque of an equal sum to Mr. Krishna, saying the money was meant for drought relief.

Ms. Gandhi visited Horthi village to see the drought relief work. She told presspersons that the Union Government had not responded to Karnataka's request for more assistance to take up drought relief. She would take up Karnataka's case with the Centre, she added.

Our Belgaum Staff Correspondent reports:

When she arrived at Sambra Airport in Belgaum, she told presspersons thus: ``It is for the chief ministers to discuss the situation (the border row between Karnataka and Maharashtra) and come to some understanding.'' She was responding to a question regarding the reports that she had expressed her willingness to intervene to sort out the border row between the two States.

Ms. Gandhi was given a warm reception by the KPCC President, Mr. Allum Veerbhadrappa, the Chief Minister, Mr. S. M. Krishna, the Belgaum District in-charge Minister, Mr. D. B. Inamdar, the Minister of State for Energy, Mr. Veerkumar Patil, and the Lok Sabha member, Mr. Amarsinh Patil. The Congress legislators and the Mayor of Belgaum, Ms. Vandana Belgundkar and the Deputy Mayor, Ms. Veena Sadashiv Kolkar, also greeted her.

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