Gandhi promises loan waivers to MP farmers
CONGRESS LEADER SAYS BJP FAILED TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO THEM
Congress President Rahul Gandhi yesterday kicked-off the party’s poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of betraying the farmers and promising to waive farm loans in 10 days if voted to power.
Rahul Gandhi also promised that the families of the farmers who were killed in Mandsaur will get justice in 10 days if his party was voted to power.
While addressing a rally, Rahul Gandhi questioned the delay in filing of a probe report into the death of seven farmers in police firing a year ago, alleging that the BJP government had failed to provide security to farmers and address their concerns.
“I assure you, when the Congress forms the government in Madhya Pradesh, farmers’ loans will be written off within 10 days. The families of the farmers [killed in Mandsaur last year] will get justice in 10 days and we will take action against those responsible for the firing,” the Congress president said.
He lashed out at the state and the Centre for ignoring farmers’ distress across the country.
“The governments are of no use if they cannot provide security to farmers and their families. A total of 1,200 farmers committed suicide in Madhya Pradesh. Did any rich person or their family member commit suicide who have lakhs of crores as debt,” he said, addressing the Kisan Samriddhi Sankalp Rally.
“Our priority will be to provide security to the farmers and their families,” he added.
Tributes to dead farmers
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi paid tributes to the dead farmers in Piplia Mandi town of Mandsaur district. “The Prime Minister and Chief Minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) talk about the farmers but when they demand the right price for their produce and ask for waiving off their loans, they do not listen.
“Prime Minister waived off loans worth Rs2.5 trillion (Dh137 billion) of just 15 businessmen, but when I requested him to waive off farm loans, he maintained a studied silence,” Gandhi said.
The food we eat is all due to the efforts of our farmers and their families and not rich businessmen, he said and added, “that is why farmers are our priority”.
“My priority is the people of this country, then it is the Congress karyakartas (workers) and third is the Congress leaders.
“My dream is that when we come here after 5-7 years and look at our phones, we find ‘Made in Mandsaur’ written on it. Narendra Modi and Shivraj Singh Chouhan won’t be able to do this work. Kamal Nath and Scindia [Jyotiraditya Scindia] can do this,” the Congress president said.