Centre has a tendency to use agencies as political weapons: Rahul

Gandhi said this while interacting with the media during his first visit to his constituency after the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in March.

Since his arrival at Wayanad on Monday, Gandhi has been participating in meetings organised by district authorities and will return on Wednesday.

"It's not Farooq Abdullah alone, there are many other leaders including me, who have cases registered [against us] by these agencies. The CBI and ED are being used to pressurise and such acts will only help to destroy these agencies. These agencies are not personal institutions of the Prime Minister," said Gandhi.

On the new three Farm Bills of the Modi regime, Gandhi said these will break the backbone of farmers.

"Through these bills, it will be one or two big business houses close to PM who will benefit. This will be a devastating blow to the ordinary farmers...The Centre feels being Covid times the farmers will be silent, but it's not going to be that way as they will come out. Food Security is structured around procurement, minimum support price and mandi and these bills will take us back by 50 years," claimed Gandhi.

Criticising the comment made by Kamal Nath while campaigning for bypolls in Madhya Pradesh, in which he allegedly called Imarti Devi an 'item', Gandhi said he did not "appreciate" it.

"Kamal Nath ji is from my party but personally, I don't like the type of language that he used, I don't appreciate it, regardless of who he is. It is unfortunate," he said

On the battle against Covid-19, Gandhi said there are some shortcomings but the spirit of Kerala will overcome the odds.

"I do not wish to blame anyone on it, though I had spoken to Harsh Vardhan in February and had warned him, but he did not take it seriously. In Wayanad there are good number of weaker sections and also the tribal community. We are  working out a programme for the farmers of Wayanad engaged in rice and turmeric farming where marketing of their products will be taken up... On account of Covid,  farmers here are yet to get subsidy," added Gandhi.

Asked about the numerous cases that the Pinarayi Vijayan government is facing, Gandhi said agencies like the NIA were investigating it and  one must let the probe get over before arriving at any conclusions.