Rahul Gandhi meets kin of deceased farmer Surjit Singh

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday met the grieving family members of Surjit Singh, the farmer who committed suicide last wednesday by consuming a poisonous substance following heavy crop loss. Rahul reached the village around 9.10 am and stayed there around 9.40 am. Rahul was accompanied by Fatehgarh Sahib Congress MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra and District Congress Committee, Fatehgarh Sahib president Harinder Singh Bhambri and others. Rahul assured full support to the farmer’s family.

Surjit Singh, a farmer from Dadoomajra village was among those who met Rahul Gandhi at the Sirhind grain mandi during the latter’s whirlwind tour of Punjab mandis. The deceased farmer had asked Rahul to raise the farmers’ issue in the Lok Sabha.

“My father owed six acres but we are tilling 19 acres on contract. Due to less production, the family gets nothing as all the amount is paid to clear dues of land owners,” Surjit Singh’s son Kulwinder Singh had said.

“He was under depression. He consumed Celphos (a brand name for compound Aluminium Phosphide),” Kulwinder added.

Meanwhile, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Partap Singh Bajwa has reportedly announced the compensation of Rs. Two lakh for Singh’s family.