Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh), July 8 (IANS) Sending out a strong message to his opponents, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi said here Friday that "no politician can ever improve the condition of the farmers without approaching them directly".

"When we sit in Delhi or Lucknow, we are unaware about ground realities...We are unable to know the truth," said Gandhi while holding an informal meeting with farmers in Devaka village.

"No matter how intelligent a politician is, he cannot improve your conditions without reaching you directly," he said.

"I want to learn from you (farmers) and understand your real problems. Therefore, I have started the padyatra (foot-march) from Bhatta and Parsual villages," added Gandhi on day four of his foot march against the forcible land acquisition in Uttar Pradesh.

Hitting out at the state government, the Congress leader said: "When a person sells his land in a city he gets the market price. However, in villagers farmers get around 10 times less price than the market cost in lieu of their lands."

"And when the villagers here (Uttar Pradesh) ask for their rights, they are gagged," he added.

"You (farmers) work very hard...You give food to the nation. Despite all this, you are deprived of your rights," he said.

Gandhi, who has been trying to drum up anti-Mayawati sentiments against the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government's land acquisition policy, launched his padyatra Tuesday.

It comes ahead of the Congress-organised Kisan Mahapanchayat in Aligarh Saturday.