Rahul Gandhi slams UP, Maharashtra govt for not clearing cane farmers' dues

Attacking the Centre over alleged farm distress, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the BJP governments of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have not given dues of Rs 11,000 crore to sugarcane farmers, but Rs 30,000 crore was "put in the pocket" of a big businessman. Gandhi's attack came after a media report claimed that mills in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have piled up almost Rs 11,000 crore in paying dues to farmers.

"Just imagine, on one hand, the farmer grows sugarcane with his hard work throughout the year, takes it to the sugar mill. But when the farmer asks for remuneration for his hard work, the BJP governments of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra do not give Rs 11,000 crore dues to sugarcane farmers," Gandhi said in a Facebook post. By the end of April, the outstanding dues of sugarcane farmers will rise to Rs 20,000 crore, he claimed. "On the other hand, a big businessman (Double-A) opens a company 10 days ago, and Modi ji embraces him and puts Rs 30,000 crore in his pocket," Gandhi said in an apparent reference to businessman Anil Ambani.

(With inputs from agencies.)