BSY warns of statewide protests if govt fails to waive farm loans

BJP Parliamentary Board member B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday warned of statewide protests if the Congress government did not announce farm loan waiver in 15 to 20 days.

Addressing a massive protest rally of BJP here, Yediyurappa said, “The state is reeling under severe drought. The farmers have suffered crop losses and are buried in debt. In such a situation, the government should intervene and alleviate the misery and suffering of farmers. When I was CM, I didn’t waste time in announcing agri loan waiver to flood-hit farmers. Now, you should take such a decision,” he said.

“As CM, I had provided power supply to farmers without any rider. Now, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government is playing with the lives of the farmers by imposing conditions... If you fail to come to the rescue of the farmers, statewide protests will be inevitable,” Yediyurappa warned.

“Siddaramaiah announced Rs 10,000 crore for minority welfare. We don’t have any objection to it. But what about the farmers... He (the CM) should have come to the rescue of the affected farmers, instead of appeasing the Muslims,” he said.

“The Congress government is playing vindictive politics. You stopped several pro-people schemes of the previous BJP government like paying the additional Rs 4,000 to farmers along with Raitha Sammana Nidhi. Similarly, the Bhagyalakshmi scheme was stopped. Also, not a single paise was given to Kalasa-Banduri project,” he charged. Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said, “We have sought Rs 25,000 relief for the farmers, but Siddaramaiah is out to please the Mullahs.”