Kumaraswamy promises farm loan waiver in 15 days, Yeddyurappa accuses Karnataka CM of betraying farmers

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said on Wednesday that saving farmers was the priority of his government. He also promised to honour his commitment to waive farm loans within 15 days.

Kumaraswamy, under attack from the BJP over the alleged delay in fulfilling his pre-poll assurance to the farming community, met representatives of farmers groups and progressive peasants to discuss the problems faced by them. "We will come to a decision in 15 days. In 15 days, it will get completely implemented... Whatever may be the difficulty, our government is committed to maintaining fiscal discipline, and also saving you (farmers)," he told the meeting after listening to farmers for about three hours.

Kumaraswamy said he and Deputy CM G Parameshwara will discuss the issue with Congress president Rahul Gandhi. He added that he would call a meeting of representatives of nationalised banks in 2-3 days and seek information about farm loans extended by them.

The meeting was attended by Parameshwara, deputy leader of opposition in the Assembly Govinda Karajola (BJP), and senior officials of the state government. In the run-up to the Assembly polls, the JD(S) leader had promised to write off agricultural loans totalling a whopping Rs 53,000 crore within 24 hours of coming to power.

I am committed to waiveoff farmers' crop loans. As promised within 6days of assuming office, I have called the farmers to deliberate on the issue. Today inthe meeting farmers have given me their suggestions&insights on how, for whom, and to what extent loans should be waived.1/n

— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) May 30, 2018

I am taking #Farmers into confidence &will go by their suggestions onthe issue. I have directed officials to frame modalities accordingly in 15days.
I assure the decision will be inline with farmers'demands, and I will not do somersault like the former CM @BSYBJP onthe issue.2/n — CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) May 30, 2018

Not just me, even farmers will not accept or agree any politician's attempt to politicise this issue. 3/3#farmloanwaiver — CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) May 30, 2018

Meanwhile, BJP's Karnataka unit chief and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, BS Yeddyurappa, on Wednesday threatened to launch a stir against the state government accusing Kumaraswamy of "betraying" farmers on the farm waiver loan issue. He said that the CM told a meeting of farmers that he would waive loans of small and marginal farmers in 15 days and think about the rest in the second phase, but "he had promised to waive Rs 53,000 crore loan. Is he playing political drama?"

CM @hd_kumaraswamy has betrayed the farmers of Karnataka by going back on his promise of waiving the farm loans of ₹53,000 crore completely in one go. @BJP4Karnataka will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the govt waives off every single farm loan of our Annadatas. — B.S. Yeddyurappa (@BSYBJP) May 30, 2018

Yeddyurappa was invited to attend the meeting chaired by Kumaraswamy with farmers' organisations today, but he had deputed Karajol on his behalf. Yeddyurappa asked, "If you (CM) had to ask Rahul Gandhi, why did you announce Rs 53,000 crore farm loan waiver ahead of the election? Why did you say in Delhi that you will resign if you can't waive the loan? You are trying to betray people. No farmer will believe you, I condemn your act of betrayal..."

(With PTI inputs)