Terming the opposition as "anti-farmer", Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi today came out openly in support of FDI in the retail sector saying it would help farmers.

Addressing a public meeting in Farrukhabad, which is the higest potato growing district in the country, Gandhi said that 60 per cent of vegetables go waste and FDI would provide a chance to the farmers to directly sell their produce.

On the fourth day of his five-day mass contact programme here, Rahul said, "farmers are facing problems as 60 per cent of vegetables go waste.. we brought FDI in retail so that they could sell their produce directly".

But the opposition stalled the move in the parliament as they are anti-farmer, he asserted. .

Asserting that Congress had been working for the welfare of farmers, Gandhi recalled that loans worth Rs 60,000 crores were waived off for farmers and doors of banks were opened to them.

Without naming the BJP, he said that the government of "India Shining" had forgotten the farmers.

Referring to farmers' unrest in Bhatta Parsaul, he said that he fought for them there when they got bullets for demanding proper compensation for their land and atrocities were committed on women.

"In cities when people sell their land they get market rates but when farmers who give sweat and blood demand compensation for their land they get bullets", he said adding that farmers demanding their rights in UP are branded as naxals.

Attacking Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, Gandhi said that she did not go to Bhatta Parsaul nor to Bundelkhand even once and reiterated his charge that she has a magical elephant (BSP symbol) which eats the money belonging to poor people.

"Earlier there was dearth of funds but it is not the same anymore as funds worth thousands of crores have been sent to the state," he said adding, "we sent money but elephant eats it up".

The Congress leader did not spare the Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav saying that earlier he used to come among the people but the case is not the same anymore.

"Once leaders become chief ministers they fly in helicopters and sit in Lucknow," he said adding that the same is the case with Mayawati.