Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has met farmers in Sirhind, Punjab, as you read this. Rahul is visiting Khanna and Gobindgarh in Punjab today to take stock of the situation in the state's grain markets where farmers are finding it difficult to sell their produce after the recent unseasonal rains.

The visit comes at a time when farmers in the region have accused the government of tardy wheat procurement. The state has also been witnessed suicides by farmers. Gandhi will be travelling by train and is scheduled to reach the region by the late afternoon, sources said.

Congress leader Amarinder Singh had on Monday suggested that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal stage a dharna along with his ministers outside the Prime Minister's Office to seek his attention on the farmers' issue.

Union Minister and Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur dubbed Gandhi's visit to a mandi as a "drama".

Congress has been alleging that the Punjab government is not purchasing the produce of farmers adequately.

Gandhi had recently attacked the government, alleging that it was "ignoring" the farming community and favouring the industrialists and rich people. He has also accused the government of giving out contradictory figures about the damages suffered by farmers during the recent unseasonal rains.