MANDYA: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi held an interaction with progressive farmers, agricultural scientists and students of agriculture at V C Farm in Mandya district on Friday. The close-door interaction lasted about 40 minutes and also involved Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC President Dr G Parameshwar and the ministers concerned.
After the interaction, a farmer who was part of the discussions, told media persons that peasants requested Mr Gandhi to ensure remunerative prices for agricultural produces as well as provision of technology to make agriculture a profitable venture.
Some farmers requested him to direct the state government to reopen Mysugar sugar mills to enable local farmers sell their produce.
The students also posed questions pertaining to their trade. Throughout the session, Mr Gandhi gave a patient hearing and jotted down the points. A host of Congress leaders accompanied him during his visit to Mandya district on Friday. Besides Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar, former CM S M Krishna too flew in a helicopter from Bengaluru to Mandya.
In fact, Mr Krishna took the initiative to visit the houses of farmers' who committed suicide in his home district and to give away ex-gratia to the kin of farmers who committed suicide.
Mr Gandhi, who was supposed to visit Kotthathi village to meet the relatives of a farmer who ended his life, cancelled his visit to meet the family of another farmer who committed suicide last night in Pandavapura taluk.
