Sonia, Manmohan conspiring against farmers, alleges Modi

Ahmedabad: On the eve of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's second round of campaigning for Gujarat assembly elections, Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused her as also Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of conspiring against farmers.

"Why has the central government not released a single rupee which their Ministers had promised when they visited the state to review the situation created by deficient rain"? said Modi. In October, the state government had told a visiting team of central ministers that farmers had suffered losses to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore because of deficient rains.

Modi, who addressed poll rallies at six places in the state, also asked "why is the central government not granting permission to build gates on the Sardar Sarovar Dam? Building 36 gates will take three years and until that's done, farmers of the state will not get the Narmada water."

Modi also raised the issues of support price for cotton growers and increase in price of fertilisers.

Modi also raised the issues of support price for cotton growers, increase in price of fertilisers, imposition of taxes on income of co-operative banks, higher premium on crop insurances and non-payment of Rs 5,000 crore to farmers for debt waiver scheme. "People should demand answers on these issues from Soniaji and the Prime Minister when they come to Gujarat for campaigning," the BJP stalwart said.

The Congress President will address two election rallies - in Surat and Junagadh districts - on Friday. She had addressed a rally in Rajkot in November. Before the first phase of voting on December 13, the Prime Minister and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi are also expected to campaign in the state.

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