K’taka farmers to hold protest for loan waiver

Farmers in Karnataka’s Mandya district are set to hold a protest on Tuesday against the chief minister HD Kumaraswamy led Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government over the delay announcing a complete farm loan waiver.

What has added to the anger against Kumaraswamy in a district where his party won all the seven seats is his appeal to the Centre on Sunday to waive half of the ~53,000 crore of loans that he had promised to set aside in the party manifesto. “Kumaraswamy’s promised loan waiver has resulted in uncertainty on credit availability for sowing,” said Somanahalli Suresh, a member of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, an organisation of medium and large landholders.

“Either the chief minister announce the farm loan waiver package, which he promised to do within 24 hours of swearing in, or at least ensure that credit for this season is made available soon.”

The protest is not supported by another faction of the KRRS. Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, its president, said while his faction does not support the protest, they are equally running out of patience.

“It is foolish for the chief minister to expect that the central government will provide any assistance, especially when it did not provide any monetary support to the states governed by its party. The only reason we have not joined the protests is because the chief minister has asked for us to give him time until the Budget, likely to be announced in July.”

Senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa said, “If he (Kumaraswamy) cannot deliver, let him admit that there is no value to be attached to the JD(S)’s manifesto.”

WHAT HAS ADDED TO THE ANGER IS THE CM’S APPEAL TO THE CENTRE TO WAIVE HALF OF THE ~53,000 CRORE LOANS