UP farmer counters Priyanka's claim

Lucknow, Feb 18 In a major embarrassment for the Congress party, Alok Mishra, a farmer from Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri, has rubbished party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's claims that he was not compensated by the government.

Priyanka in her tweet on Wednesday had referred to the case of Alok Mishra while raising the issue of non-payment to sugarcane farmers in Uttar Pradesh.

Mishra, in a video message, said: "Priyanka Gandhi has not read the news properly on which she has based her statement."

This was last year when the dues were pending, due to the pandemic. All my payments have been settled," he further said.

Mishra said he was completely satisfied with the state government and was even planning to diversify his crops, as suggested by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Priyanka in her tweet had said that Mishra's payment of Rs six lakh was pending.

"Alok Mishra, a farmer of Lakhimpur Kheri, has not received a cane payment of Rs 6 lakh. He had to take a loan of 3 lakh for farming, treatment, etc. This is the condition of millions of farmers of UP whose payment of 10,000 crores is stuck. The promise of payment and income doubling in 14 days has come out to be a 'Jumla'," she said in a tweet in Hindi.

( With inputs from IANS )