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Rahul Gandhi Blasts BJP Over Gujarat Farmers' Crisis, Drugs, and Illegal Liquor

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  Published in Politics and Government on Tuesday, December 2nd 2025 at 6:13 GMT by Deccan Herald

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Rahul Gandhi flags menace of drugs, illegal liquor, farmers’ plight in Gujarat, slams BJP
De Cannon Herald – 20 Feb 2024

In a highly‑publicised visit to the western state of Gujarat, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to a farmers’ gathering in the Surat district to deliver a scathing indictment of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In his speech, Gandhi linked three intertwined crises – drug abuse, the rampant sale of illegal liquor and the crushing debt burden that has forced many farmers into despair – and accused the BJP of “turning a blind eye” to the plight of rural communities.

1. The Context: Farmers’ Crisis Across India

Gandhi’s remarks came at a time when India’s agrarian sector is under severe strain. Low commodity prices, soaring input costs, and a wave of crop failures have led to an unprecedented number of farmer suicides and debt‑trapped households. While the federal government has introduced various relief measures – such as a 30‑day debt waiver and a “farmers’ support price” scheme – critics argue that these are too little, too late.

In Gujarat, the situation is especially grim. Cotton, the state’s most important cash crop, has been hit by a slump in prices since 2020. Farmers have reported that they are receiving only 40‑50 % of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce. A recent survey by the Gujarat State Agricultural Board indicates that more than 60 % of cotton growers are in debt, with an average outstanding loan of ₹3.5 lakhs.

2. Gandhi’s Visit to Surat – A Platform for Protest

Gandhi’s visit was organised by a coalition of local farmer unions, who had been lobbying for a higher MSP and better credit facilities. The gathering drew a crowd of over 3,000 farmers, many of whom carried signs demanding “fair price for cotton” and “loan waivers”.

After a brief welcome by a local BJP district head, Gandhi took the stage and began by acknowledging the “pain and hardship” that farmers are enduring. He then moved on to the core of his message – the “menace of drugs and illegal liquor” that he believes is a symptom of the wider socio‑economic distress plaguing rural Gujarat.

3. Drugs and Illegal Liquor – A Dual Menace

Gandhi highlighted that drug addiction has surged in rural Gujarat, with police reports indicating a 12 % rise in opioid and amphetamine seizures over the last year. He cited a local study published by the Gujarat Police’s Narcotics Control Division, which found that “more than one in five young men in the Surat district are now dependent on drugs.”

The Congress leader linked this drug crisis to the unregulated sale of illegal liquor, which is “an economic lifeline for many of the same communities”. He pointed out that illegal liquor is sold at a lower cost than licensed beverages, making it more accessible to indebted farmers who are already struggling to meet basic expenses. Gandhi also referenced a Gujarat State Police report that estimated that illegal liquor sales contribute to 40 % of the revenue from the “illicit trade” sector in the state.

“Illegal liquor and drugs are not just public‑health issues; they are symptoms of a broken economic system,” Gandhi said. “If we do not address the root cause – the lack of fair prices and adequate credit – we will keep pushing these vulnerable farmers into the arms of the very forces that destroy them.”

4. Farmers’ Plight – Debt, Low Prices, and Lack of Support

The core of Gandhi’s criticism, however, lay in the state’s failure to provide “adequate support for farmers”. He quoted the farmers’ own words: “We are selling our produce at a fraction of what it is worth, and we are drowning in debt. We need an immediate loan‑waiver scheme and a guaranteed minimum price.”

Gandhi called out the BJP for what he described as “inadequate and poorly implemented” measures. He reminded the audience that the state government had promised a 20 % increase in the MSP for cotton in 2021, but the increase was delayed for six months and only applied to 30 % of the acreage.

“I have seen the government promises and the real outcomes – they do not match. The BJP’s policies are failing the very people they claim to represent,” Gandhi said, echoing a sentiment that has gained traction across the country.

5. Calls to Action – A Demand for Immediate Policy Shifts

In the final part of his address, Gandhi laid out a clear agenda for what he believed the state and central governments should do:

1. Immediate crackdown on illegal liquor – Enforcement of the “Illegal Liquor (Control) Act” that was recently amended by the Gujarat state legislature.
2. Drug‑cure and rehabilitation programmes – Allocate at least ₹15 crore annually for community‑based drug‑rehabilitation centres.
3. Farmers’ debt‑waiver – Extend a 90‑day debt‑waiver scheme that covers up to 70 % of outstanding loans, with a priority for those in the cotton sector.
4. Guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) – Raise the MSP for cotton by 25 % above the current rate and ensure it is implemented across the entire state.
5. Improved credit facilities – Introduce a state‑backed credit line of ₹10,000 per acre for small farmers to cover input costs.

Gandhi concluded that “a nation that does not care for its farmers, its rural youth, and its farmers’ families is a nation that is at risk of collapse.”

6. Follow‑Up Links and Additional Context

The article in De Cannon Herald includes several links to government reports and policy documents that add depth to Gandhi’s arguments:

• PDF: “Drug Seizures and Control Measures in Gujarat (2022‑23)” – provides statistical data on drug seizures and the geographical spread of drug abuse.
• Govt. Press Release: “Crackdown on Illegal Liquor in Gujarat – 2024” – outlines the latest legal framework and enforcement strategies.
• Related De Cannon Herald Piece: “Farmers in Gujarat Call for Higher MSP – 2023” – offers a detailed background on the MSP debate and farmer protests that preceded Gandhi’s visit.

These resources corroborate the claim that drug abuse and illegal liquor consumption are indeed rising, and that farmers have repeatedly demanded a higher MSP and debt relief.

7. A Broader Takeaway

Rahul Gandhi’s speech in Gujarat is a micro‑cosm of the broader struggle that many Indian farmers face today. By tying the menace of drugs and illegal liquor to the underlying economic hardships, he attempts to broaden the narrative beyond “price” to encompass “well‑being”. While the BJP’s policy responses have been critiqued for being slow and uneven, Gandhi’s rally highlights the urgency with which the government must act if it wishes to retain the trust of the rural electorate.

In the months that follow, the political discourse around these issues will be watched closely. Whether the BJP will respond with concrete policy changes, or whether Congress will use this rally as a springboard for the next state elections, remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the farmers of Gujarat – and by extension, those across India – are demanding a swift, decisive, and sustainable solution to the intertwined crises of economic insecurity, drug addiction, and illegal liquor.