Thursday, June 23 2005 18:51 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Tonk: Congress President and UPA (United Progressive Alliance) chairperson Sonia Gandhi today (Jun 23, 2005) termed as "barbaric" the recent police firing in which five persons were killed and announced a Rs two lakh compensation to the kin of those killed and Rs 10,000 for the injured in the June 13 incident.

The Centre would co-operate and extend all possible help to Rajasthan if it came up with a plan to provide water to its parched areas, Gandhi told reporters in Tonk after visiting the families of the victims.

Gandhi visited the houses of all the five persons who had died in the firing and expressed her condolences to the bereaved families in Bawari and Jhirana villages and enquired about the health of the injured undergoing treatment at the Tonk district hospital.

"They (the farmers) were very sad," she said outside Sahadat hospital here and assured all possible help to them.

The UPA Chairperson, however, remained mum when asked about any moves to dismiss the Vasundhara Raje Government in the State.

Ironically, heavy rains lashed the area as Gandhi visited the parched region to console the farmers who had been demanding adequate water from the Beesalpur dam to the Tordisagar catchment area where their farms are located.