PM has right to travel abroad but it's his duty to visit farmers first, says Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi stepped up the battle against the Narendra Modi government over the proposed food park in his constituency Amethi on Monday. In his first visit to Amethi since he returned from his nearly a two-month long sabbatical, Rahul accused the Modi government of ignoring the plight of farmers and only aiding corporates.

Pointing at the overseas travel which Modi has undertaken, Rahul said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting foreign places while ignoring the plight of farmers and labourers back home.

Rahul said, "We have not got the facts wrong, the BJP has. The Prime Minister has the right to travel but it is his duty to visit farmers first. It is a simple fact that the BJP took the food park away from Amethi."

Rahul said he would give the NDA dispensation "zero out of 10" for its handling of issues involving farmers and labourers as he arrived in Amethi to meet with cultivators who have suffered crop loss due to unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms.

"The move of BJP-led government has affected farmers and labourers of Amethi and 10 neighbouring districts. The Centre wanted to take revenge from me, but the move has affected farmers.

Rahul also accused the government of vendetta politics said the government has snatched away the food park not only from him, but from the farmers.

Rahul said, "BJP's vindictive politics is hurting farmers. The BJP government's move is harmful for farmers of Amethi and all of India. In their attempt to attack me politically, BJP is hurting farmers. We will pressure the government to get it back," Rahul said at Jagdishpur, on the first day of his three-day visit to Amethi.

Rahul's visit come days after Union Minister Smriti Irani visited the constituency. Rejecting Rahul's allegation, Smriti had accused the him of misleading the people of Amethi as well as Parliament over the food park issue.

Rahul has slammed the Centre both inside and out of Parliament over the food park issue.

Pointing at the overseas travel which Modi has undertaken, Rahul said that the Prime Minister was visiting foreign places while ignoring the plight of farmers and labourers back home.

Rahul will address a public meeting in Kasara village on May 19. UPCC general secretary Rajiv Singh said that Gandhi will inaugurate a number of projects completed from his MP fund including marriage houses, solar water pumps and some roads.

(With additional information from PTI)