Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday requested the Government in the lok Sabha to respond immediately to the plight of farmers in north India hit by heavy rain and hailstorm and send a team to assess the damage.
As the House assembled for the day, Rahul raised the issue of heavy rains and hailstorm in the past two days and urged the Government to provide aid to the affected farmers without any delay.
Rain and hailstorms hit several parts of North India including Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana over the weekend and early Tuesday. According to reports, rains have flattened wheat, mustard and coriander crops in the States.
“Crops have been damaged...The Government should take immediate action,” Rahul said in the lower House.
Asking the Centre to send a team to assess the damage , he sought a statement by Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh in the House.
The Congress leader said the Centre should rush the provision of relief to the affected farmers and like last time, this assistance should not reach late.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said he has spoken with the Agriculture Minister on the “serious” issue, who is in touch with State Governments. He said Minister could make a statement either Monday or Tuesday. later in zero hour, the Speaker rejected notices of adjournment given by Rahul and other members on the issue.