CHANDIGARH: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and former Union minister Kumari Selja on Sunday accused Manohar Lal Khattar and Dushyant Chautala led BJP-JJP government of pushing the farmers of Haryana to debt.
She claimed that now the situation has come when in order to sustain their farming and livelihoods, the farmers forced to take loans from banks repeatedly.
Selja said that within just one year, the number of farmers taking loans from banks has increased by five lakhs across the state. This indicates that the BJP's promise to increase farmers' income was merely a hollow claim.
Selja said that this year, 11.49 lakh farmers across the state have taken loans up to three lakh rupees through the farmer credit card for the Kharif season, while last year, only 6.58 lakh farmers had taken loans during the same season.
Facing the brunt of weather adversities resulting in crop failure, lower expected prices in the market, and increased agricultural expenses, farmers are being forced to take loans repeatedly.
The situation is such that after selling their crops, they have almost no money left for fertilizers and seeds. To keep agriculture alive, they rely on the benevolence of banks. The former Union Minister said that the BJP government's oppressive policies have made the state's farmers entirely trapped in the cycle of bank loans. The money obtained from selling the crops is spent in repaying the bank loan, leaving nothing for sowing the next crop.
Due to the losses incurred in agriculture, the farmers are unable to save money for fertilizers and seeds. Keeping agriculture alive compels them to take loans from banks again. She said that the increase in farmers' debts indicates the BJP's silence on the rising debts of farmers, proving that the promise to increase income and implement the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations was just a gimmick.
The promise made during elections has not been fulfilled yet. Instead of focusing on the welfare of farmers, three controversial agricultural laws were enacted to snatch their lands. By promising to double the income of farmers, the BJP government aims to snatch their livelihoods. However, the people of the country and the farmers have understood the BJP government's deceitful policies and will respond with votes in the upcoming elections.
