Congress vows to waive farm loans

NEWDELHI: The Congress on Tuesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre of ignoring farmers’ interests and vowed to waive all farm loans if the party returns to power in 2019.

Addressing a Kisan and Khet Mazdoor Cell rally of the party in Delhi, Congress leaders said the government had failed to fulfil promises made to the farmers ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Congress leaders from across the country attended the ‘jawab do, hisab do (answer and accountability)’ rally and ‘sansad gherao’ agitation.

The party’s chief spokesperson, Randeep Singh Surjewala, attacked the government’s alleged anti-farmer agricultural policy. He said the ruling dispensation had waived loans worth crores of “industrialist friends” but not those owed by distressed farmers.

“If the Congress comes to power at the Centre, then our first priority will be to waive loans of farmers. Our party president Rahul Gandhi has already announced this,” he said.

“Every 24 hours, 12 farmers commit suicide across the country. The Modi government is responsible for the plight of farmers in the 53 months of its rule,” he said.

Surjewala said the minimum support price of paddy is Rs 1,700 per quintal, but farmers sell this in the market at Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,300 per quintal. “Farmers are compelled to sell their products for much lower than the production cost. The rising price of diesel also adds to it.”