Family That Got Tractor from Sonu Sood Claims Harassment

Sonu Sood recently gifted a tractor to a farmer in a remote village in Andhra Pradesh to help him till the land. The actor came up with the idea after going through a viral video clip on social media wherein a tomato farmer in Madanapalle in Chittoor district was seen ploughing the land with his two daughters carrying the yoke on their shoulders. The tractor from Sonu's side reached the family on Sunday.

Now, the beneficiary farmer named V Nageswara Rao claims that his integrity and 'authenticity of his poverty' is being challenged. The negative comments about the family began after Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu announced that he would further support Rao's family by funding their two daughters' education. In the follow up of the announcement by Naidu, revenue officials showed up at Rao's residence to assess his financial status.

Explaining the context in which the viral video of two girls ploughing the field was recorded, Rao said (via), "I told my family that because of our financial situation, we should drop the idea of farming this season. My daughters insisted that we should sow at least enough for ourselves, if not to sell in the market. When I said that we could not afford bulls or a tractor as the rent was too high, they insisted on helping."

He added, "It was a family video we had just recorded for ourselves," while claiming it was not meant to seek financial benefits of any sort. Rao further alleged that the entire truth was misreported with unverified details and different narratives.

Rao says that he is now being harassed by local political leaders over his financial status. Since the girls are seen laughing in the clip and seem 'healthy', people are assuming that the entire video is staged.

"Just because Chandrababu Naidu has offered help now, YSRCP (rival political party) supporters are saying I am not worthy of any support," Rao added.