Varun’s gandhigiri: 100 homes gifted to poor farmers in UP

After taking the initiative to help the debt-ridden farmers of UP, BJP’s Sultanpur MP Varun Gandhi on Tuesday donated nearly 100 homes to poor families who lived under thatched roofs. Painted in bright sunshine yellow, the homes were funded by Mr Gandhi.

Even as the BJP has decided to go to the polls without a chief ministerial candidate, a demand to project Mr Gandhi continues to grow among the party’s youth base.

Mr Gandhi, however, made it clear: “My work has nothing to do with politics, any political party or any government. It’s purely a citizen revolution.” His remarks were filled by blessings and applause.

The BJP MP said that his real earning in life was the blessings of the poor and farmers and his aim was to make every person free from the burden of debts.

Mr Gandhi said he would continue to work for the welfare of the poor from the resources he has.

Sunil Singh, a local, said, “These houses have been built on the land of local people who include businessmen, rich farmers and Mr Gandhi has taken the initiative by making a major financial contribution. The houses have one room and a toilet and the cost of each house is about Rs 1.5 lakh. Mr Gandhi intends to provide 2,000 such homes by the next year across the state.”

He added that with “pucca” houses now, “we no longer have to worry about fire incidents”.

From next year onwards, assisted by a team of volunteers, Mr Gandhi is planning to come up with an interactive digital platform and an app to help debt-ridden farmers.

This digital platform will have data collection of over 20,000 farmers from the state, who are under debt. The platform will act as a link to those who are in need of financially assistance. Details of debt-ridden farmers, including their bank accounts and other information through audio and video clips, will be available on this digital platform. To maintain checks and balances, a panel of local people and agriculture experts will also be formed, who will also suggest farmers on varieties of crops other than the traditional crops, a BJP leader said.

Mr Gandhi said he is planning to include others states also as he has been receiving queries and suggestions from other states also about this initiative to help marginalised farmers.

“The real work has been done by our army of unpaid volunteers from rural and semi-rural background..This initiative would not have reached this far without the efforts and blessings of thousands,” he said.