'Kisan Rally' only for rights of farmers, not linked to elections: Congress

The Congress maintained that the 'Kisan Rally', which took place in the national capital on Sunday, was the grand old party fighting for the rights of the farmers with respect to the controversial Land Acquisition Bill, adding that the event was not linked to the elections.

"The question is not about whether the Congress gains or loses from this. The question is whether the interests of farmers are maintained or not. We don't want to connect this with elections. We want that the Congress fights for the rights of the farmers, and that the farmer has a claim over his property," Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh told ANI.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi earlier on Sunday accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of being anti-farmer and said farmers and workers in the country are worried as they feel that the government has forgotten them.

Addressing the farmers' rally organised by the party at Ramlila Grounds in New Delhi, Gandhi said the farmers strengthen the nation before industrialists as they feed the nation.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi also came down heavily on the government, saying relief announced by it for farmers affected by hailstorm and untimely rain is worthless.

Meanwhile, the BJP dismissed the rally as a 'desperate' move to get the party's scion back into Indian politics, claiming that it had nothing to do with the Land Acquisition Bill.