Farmers targeted by police over Karnataka loans: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday targeted the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Congress over the issue of farm loan waivers and political violence in states that included Karnataka. He was addressing a public meeting in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas District.

Modi alleged that farmers who are unable to repay their loans are being targeted by police in Karnataka and took a dig at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saying that she's resorting to violence as she is afraid of the growing support for the BJP in Bengal.

“Recently in some states, farmers’ votes were sought in the name of loan waiver. Now farmers who never took loans are getting loan waiver and in some cases farmers who were promised loan waiver of Rs. 2.50 lakh got waiver of just Rs. 13. This is the situation in Madhya Pradesh...in Karnataka, the farmers who are unable to repay their loans are being targeted by police. This is Congress policy for farmers,” said Modi.

“After seeing this crowd, I understand why Didi (Banerjee) has resorted to violence. Those who pretend to save democracy are killing innocent people out of fear of your support for us,” said the prime minister.

However, he also sought the TMC's support to pass the Citizenship Amendment Bill in the Parliament.

“After the partition of the country, some thought that they will continue to live in their native land," said Modi. "But facing atrocities from those with communal attitudes, they came to India. Some are Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Parsis. Should not they get the right to live in India with dignity? That is why we have brought the Citizenship Amendment Bill. I urge TMC to support it in Parliament.”