Hundreds of Indian students facing ‘deportation’ from Canada stage protest
Chandigarh, September 18: The Punjab Congress President Mr Partap Singh Bajwa called upon the Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal to get Rs 51000 crore loan waver for farmers from his ‘own’ Narendra Modi government or sit in dharna followed by indefinite fast in case the issue was not resolved.
In a statement, the PPCC chief reminded Mr Badal that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had announced Rs 70,000 crore package for farmers. It was high time that the Modi government too come out to the rescue of the harried the farmers in this food bowl of the country by announcing loan waiver.
He said he was ready to follow Mr Badal in case he went on indefinite fast in Delhi to get relief for the farmers in the state as he had been selling dreams of liberal financial assistance in case the BJP formed the government at the centre. However, what happened during the last 15 months was to the contrary.
He announced that about 25,000 farmers would participate in the farmers’ rally in Delhi on September 20 that would be addressed by the party President Shrimati Sonia Gandhi and the vice-president Mr Rahul Gandhi. He asserted it was the sustained struggle launched by Mr Rahul Gandhi under guidance of the party President that the Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi had been forced to backtrack from amending the land acquisition.
Mr Bajwa opposed the move to dismantle the Food Corporation of India that would directly hit the farmers. He demanded the implementation of the Swaminathan Committee recommendations on fixing minimum support prices of the farm produce ensuring 50 per cent profit over and above the cost of production.
He pointed out this was also the poll promise of the BJP as well as the Akali Dal. However, the Modi government backtracked from this promise within days.
He also demanded compensation of the cotton farmers in the state at the rate of Rs 25000 per acre for the crop damage due to white fly. He said the state government was responsible for the polight of the farmers in view of the substandard inputs including pesticide supplied to them.
