The Congress asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to follow the model set by the newly-elected governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and waive-off farm loans. Party President Rahul Gandhi urged Modi to “stop working” for a few industrialists and address the problems of farmers.

Talking to reporters in Parliament, the Amethi MP said if the BJP government does not waive farm loans, the Congress will do that, if voted to power in 2019. “Modi is making two India’s — one of 15-20 industrialists, whose loans he alleges have been waived off by the PM, and the second India of poor people, workers, farmers and small traders,” Gandhi said.

He said Rajasthan will also waive off the farm loans soon. “We promised to waive loans in 10 days. In two States, we did it within six hours and we will do it in the third State soon,” he added.

He said the Centre hasn’t waived off even a single rupee of farmers’ loans in the last five years. “I want to tell you that the Congress party and other Opposition parties will unite till all farm loans are waived. We will stand up and fight against them, we will not retract a single inch, we will not let him (the Prime Minister) sleep at night, till the time the farm loans of India’s farmers are waived,” he said.

A new low

“I want to tell the farmers that this country is yours and not of 15-20 industrialists.. You (farmers) remember that we will exert pressure on Narendra Modi to waive farm loans,” he added.

The BJP said statements that PM will not be allowed to sleep is a new low in political discourse. “Friends, Rahul Gandhi said that he will not allow Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sleep. This is a new low in the public discourse of the country,” Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Prasad said the Congress’ loan waivers are just a drama. “The Congress had been in power for about 60 of the last 70 years. What have they done for farmers?” he asks.

AIKS reacts

Meanwhile, the All India Kisan Sabha, the Left-leaning farmers’ organisation that set the campaign tone for the heartland elections, said the waiver in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh should be unconditional.

“They have announced that loans till March 31, 2018 will be waived. The loans will be renewed and carried forward from April 1, 2018 as the new financial year has begun. So, such conditions should be removed and the governments should waive all loans till this date,” said AIKS President Ashok Dhawale.

He also questioned the demand by a group of economists that farm loan waivers should not be the agenda for 2019 polls. “Where were they when the Modi government waived off loans of industrialists worth ₹3.5 lakh crore?,” Dhawale asked. The outfit’s General Secretary, Hannan Mollah, said one-time waiving of all loans and increasing the minimum support price will provide some help to the farmers.

AIKS leader and newly-elected CPI(M) MLA Giridharilal Mahiya said Rahul Gandhi is showing double standards over farm loans. “At one point, he said farm loan is an issue that cannot be solved. This shows his double standards,” Mahiya said.

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