The Congress party on Thursday alleged that the Modi government has waived off ₹16 lakh crore worth of bank loans for its “crony capitalist friends” while ignoring the plight of farmers who continue to face financial burdens. In a statement, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh asserted that an Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc government will establish a permanent commission to ensure loan waivers for farmers in every state. Ramesh pointed out that the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh had waived ₹72,000 crore in agricultural loans in 2008, benefiting numerous farmers across the country. He highlighted that the Modi government has not provided any relief to farmers despite their persistent demands. “The Modi government has waived off bank loans worth ₹16 lakh crore for its crony capitalist friends, but not even a single rupee of the farmers’ agricultural loan has been waived,” Ramesh stated in a Hindi post on X (formerly Twitter). Ramesh emphasized that the INDIA bloc government will prioritize farmers’ welfare and fulfill its promises to them. “On June 4, when the INDIA bloc comes to power, we guarantee to create a permanent farm loan waiver commission, which will ensure farm loan waiver in every state. We have fulfilled our promises earlier also, we are saying that we will do it again,” Ramesh declared. Earlier in the day, Ramesh criticized the BJP for failing to keep its promises to farmers’ organizations. He stressed that an INDIA bloc government will implement all its guarantees to farmers, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Ramesh acknowledged that the farmers’ movement in Haryana and Punjab has been ongoing for five years and that the government’s decision to repeal the “three black farm laws” is not sufficient. He expressed concern about the government’s reported plans to eliminate MSP for farmers in Punjab and Haryana, emphasizing the Congress party’s strong opposition to such a move. “Justice for farmers will be the top priority for the incoming INDIA Janbandhan government,” Ramesh stated in a video message in Hindi. Ramesh outlined the five concrete guarantees that the Congress has promised to farmers in its Nyay Patra (manifesto), including a legal guarantee for MSP based on the Swaminathan formula and a permanent commission to effectively implement loan waiver plans. The party has also pledged to provide direct transfer of insurance payments within 30 days of crop loss, implement a proper import-export policy, and remove GST from all farming essentials.
Congress Blames Modi Government for Favoring ‘Crony Capitalists’ Over Farmers
