Is Rahul Gandhi's empathy for farmers limited to non-Congress states?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Over 1,180 farmers have died by suicide in Karnataka in the last 15 months.
- R. Ashoka challenges Rahul Gandhi's empathy towards farmers.
- Political accountability is crucial for addressing farmer issues.
- Rahul Gandhi criticizes the central government for farmer suicides.
- Farmer welfare should be a non-partisan concern.
Bengaluru, July 3 (NationPress) The Karnataka BJP has raised a question to Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, regarding whether his compassion for farmers is limited only to states not led by the Congress party.
The party criticized Rahul Gandhi for expressing concern solely for farmers' suicides in Maharashtra, while ignoring the dire situation in Karnataka, where more than 1,180 farmers have tragically taken their lives in just 15 months.
R. Ashoka, the Karnataka Assembly Leader of Opposition, stated on Thursday, "Mr. Rahul Gandhi, before you shed crocodile tears for Maharashtra's farmers, take a moment to confront the appalling reality in your own party-ruled Karnataka. Over 1,180 farmers have died by suicide in a mere 15 months, a shocking figure validated by the state government. Despite this, you remain notably silent."
Challenging his silence, Ashoka remarked, "There have been no visits to mourning families, no expressions of grief, and no calls for accountability. Why this silence, Rahul ji? Is your compassion solely for states not under your party's governance?"
"Rather than holding your own government accountable for its criminal negligence, you choose to avert your gaze. You advocate for justice yet refuse to demand it from your own ranks. Is CM Siddaramaiah beyond reproach simply because he is part of your party? Is the suffering of Karnataka's farmers invisible to your conscience?"
While criticizing the Congress leader, the BJP figure emphasized that authentic leadership involves "holding your own accountable, not merely attacking others for political advantage."
He urged that if Rahul genuinely cares about farmers in India, he should begin addressing the issues in Karnataka, as "otherwise, your compassion feels insincere, and your outrage seems contrived."
"Until you muster the courage to face failures within your own party, spare the nation your crocodile tears. The farmers of Karnataka are not mere instruments for your politics; they are citizens deserving of dignity, justice, and action," Ashoka admonished.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the Central government and the Bharatiya Janata Party of showing indifference to farmers' needs. He has claimed that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration, there has been a rise in farmer suicides across the nation.
In sharing a news article about farmer suicides in Maharashtra, Gandhi alleged that the government was "watching with indifference."
"In just 3 months, 767 farmers in Maharashtra have ended their lives. Is this merely a statistic? No. These are 767 devastated households. 767 families that will never heal. And the government? Silent," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha posted on X.