Rajnath on 'Kissan Yatra' in Vidarbha region from Jan 11

New Delhi, Jan 5 (UNI) BJP President Rajnath Singh will undertake a two-day 'Kissan Yatra' in the suicide-prone Vidarbha region and distribute party relief to around 500 suicide-affected families of Maharashtra on January 11 and 12.

BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said Mr Singh, who will begin his 'yatra' from Gandhi Seva Ashram in Wardha, will tour the suicide affected districts of Amaravati, Akola and Washim before winding up at Yaotmal town, the hub of farmers suicides in the Vidarbha region.

Mr Singh will highlight how the Centre had failed to help the families in distress with the so-called ''Special Economic Package'' announced with much fanfare. ''This was a mere 'lip-sympathy' without touching the core of problems,'' he said.

In the last week itself, four fresh suicides had been reported, indicating how hollow the help has been, he remarked.

Mr Singh, he said, would distribute help to 500 widows of deceased farmers and provide educational support to their children out of the funds contributed by the BJP workers in the multiples of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000.

It will roughly work out to Rs 15,000 per family from the party alone. The BJP would also bring pressure on the Centre and the State Governments to render real assistance.

Maharashtra BJP Chief Nitin Gadkari, former Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde, Leaders of Maharashtra BJP Legislature Party Eknath Kadse and Pandurang Phulkar would accompany Mr Singh in the two-day 'yatra'.

UNI MCN SHB PM1755