UPA always ensured farmers' welfare: PM

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has always tried to ensure that farmers are the main beneficiaries of the country’s progress, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said at an election rally in Amritsar, few hours before the election campaign for the fifth and final phases of polls that come to an end on Monday evening.

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Just a day after blistering attack on Manmohan Singh government launched at an NDA power rally in Ludhiana attended by a galaxy of leaders, Manmohan Singh, who remains usually cool and calm, lashed out at BJP-led NDA alleging them for ignoring the interest of farmers during their regime.

The ruling Akali Dal-BJP alliance has always ignored farmers, Dr. Singh said, “They have not helped farmers at all. NDA made false claims in the advertisement published in newspapers.”

While farmers have been the prime focus of the UPA government which has made farmers’ welfare its one of the main goals, Singh said.

“We have always tried to ensure that farmers are the main beneficiaries of the country's progress.”

AICC general secretary and Congress’ star campaigner Rahul Gandhi, who also shared the dais with Dr. Singh, addressing the rally said, ‘you gave a fitting reply to NDA in 2004 by making Manmohan Singh the prime minister. He is the pride of Punjab and the pride of India.’

Mentioning the UPA government’s Rs.700 billion-loan waiver for farmers last year, Rahul Gandi said, not only that we also ensured the doors of the banks be opened for new loans for farmers as “they are the backbone of India”.

Gandhi also emphasised the Employment Guarantee Scheme launched by the government for the welfare of ‘aam aadmi’ as the UPA’s biggest achievement.

The two leaders are also scheduled to address another poll meeting at Khadoor Shaib parliamentary constituency falling in the Taran Taran district in Punjab.