Irrigation sector has been grossly neglected in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh leading to drastic fall in the total cultivable area, with groundnut and tamarind farmers being the worst affected, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Addressing a gathering on March 31, as part of electioneering, Mr. Rahul Gandhi expressed grief at the suicide committed by 600 farmers, who either lost their crop or did not get remunerative price for their produce.

He promised to come to their rescue by sanctioning special loans. Kalyandurg Congress candidate and APCC president N. Raghuveera Reddy translated the speech into Telugu.

Continuing his tirade against the Narendra Modi government, he said it had closed thousands of government schools and colleges and the Congress if voted into power would allocate 6% of the GDP to the education sector. He also promised scholarships for those who cannot afford higher studies.

The highest unemployment rate in the last 45 years was existing in India, Mr. Rahul said and promised loans for the unemployed who create new jobs. He said the loans will not be restricted to a few rich and influential industrial houses like the Ambanis, Choksis and Mallayya.

Promising to help the Valmiki and Vaddera communities to be included in the SC/ST categories, he said categorisation of the SCs would also be completed amicably.

He criticised the BJP and RSS personnel for compromising the provisions of the Constitution and making the lives of Dalits, and Minorities miserable and killing them if they raised voice like it happened in the case of Rohith Vemula.