Bhopal, June 6: Kin of Abhishek Patidar, one among the six farmers killed in Uttar Pradesh's Mandsaur, claim they were threatened by district officials and "told not to attend Rahul Gandhi's rally", which was held today.

Abhishek's mother Mamta Patidar, while speaking to NDTV, said she, along with her younger son Jagdish Patidar was called by Sub-Divisional Magistrate and told not to attend any political rally.

He asked us who among the family are planning to attend Rahul Gandhi's rally, Mamata said. "When my son told him that his parents are going, the SDM said ask them to not meet Rahul Gandhi," she was reported as saying.

The parents of another farmer who was killed last year in police firing claim they were also asked by the district official to not to attend the Congress president's rally.

The farmers in Mandsaur were also reportedly made to sign Rs 20,000 bonds by the authorities seeking an assurance that they would not participate in the 10-day 'gaon bandh', being observed from June 1-10.

In the rally held today in Mandsaur, Rahul Gandhi launched a blistering attack on the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in the state, accusing it of resorting to "anti-farmer" policies.

In a major poll pitch towards the state's agrarian class, Rahul promised an agrarian loan-waiver if the Congress storms to power in Madhya Pradesh. Apart from easing the burden of debts, the Congress government would also set up food processing units in each district of Mandsaur to ensure adequate prices on produce for the state's farmers.

Madhya Pradesh is slated to go to polls in November-December this year. The incumbent BJP government faces an anti-incumbency of 15 years. Combined with the agrarian unrest, the Congress sees an opportunity to wrest the state after a three-term hiatus.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 06, 2018 05:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).