HDK, BSY clash over crop loan waiver

The Legislative Assembly on Wednesday witnessed a war of words between Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Leader of the Opposition B S Yeddyurappa over the state government’s crop loan waiver scheme.

It all began with Yeddyurappa charging that nationalised banks had not agreed to the government’s request that it would reimburse the crop loan waived by farmers in four years. “You are cheating the farmers by making false promises on loan waiver scheme”, Yeddyurappa charged.

A sarcastic Kumaraswamy asked Yeddyurappa, "You seem to be in constant touch with nationalised banks,” to which an irked Yeddyurappa hit back, "Do not speak irresponsibly."

Kumaraswamy said his government was committed to implement the crop loan waiver scheme and the BJP was casting aspersions on him only for political reasons. He said he was also committed to implement all the promises made in the JD(S) election manifesto.

Yeddyurappa charged that only Rs 50 crore of the Rs 43,000 crore crop loans availed by farmers had been waived so far. The BJP members trooped into the well of the House and started shouting slogans against the government. Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar adjourned the House for the day.