Rahul Gandhi champions farmers' cause in Jhansi

{image-rahul gandhi_19042008.jpg news.oneindia.in}Jhansi, Apr 19: Congress General Secretary and Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi has taken up the cause of debt-ridden farmers in Uttar Pradesh.

On the last leg of his three-day tour of Jhansi, Rahul addressed farmers and submitted a memorandum to district authorities. Marginal farmers have been demanding jobs under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), which guarantees 100 days of employment per annum to the poorest of the poor. The Congress has accused the Mayawati-led Uttar Pradesh Government of implementing the scheme in a lopsided manner, thereby denying jobs to deserving candidates.

The Congress has credited Rahul with expanding the reach of the NREGS to cover the whole country and for waiving off billions of dollars of farmers' debts.

Gandhi has been touring the tribal-domiated areas of the country in a bid to connect with the people and whip up support for the party ahead of next year's general elections.

ANI