The Congress party has threatened with a statewide agitation if the demand for waiving farmer loans in the state is not accepted by the BJP-ruled government. It also held dharnas in many parts of the state and submitted a memorandum of its demands to authorities in districts and talukas.
The main dharna was held in Gandhinagar, where party leaders like Rajiv Satav, in charge for Gujarat in All India Congress Committee (AICC), Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Chavda, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Paresh Dhanani, and others participated. They raised a demand to 'Save Democracy, Waive Farm Loans'.
Chavda said that farmers are falling in debt trap during the BJP ruled government in the state. "On one hand prices of critical inputs like fertilisers, pesticides, electricity and labour are rising and on the other hand the earnings from farm produce are falling and farmers are falling in a debt-trap," said Chavda.
He demanded that under such circumstances, the government should provide electricity for 16 hours to farmers, ensure remunerative prices to farmers, as well as ensure that farmers' claims for farm insurance be settled. "If these demands are not met, Congress will 'gherao' the Legislative Assembly when the next session begins and hold agitations in all the villages of the state," he warned.
Satav said that it was the Congress-led UPA government which had waived of farm loans worth Rs 71,000 crore. Congress-ruled Punjab and Karnataka (where Congress has a coalition) have also waived farm loans. "BJP government in Gujarat should also follow their footsteps and free the farmers of the state from debt-trap," said Satav.
The opposition party blamed the BJP rule for the hardships faced by farmers in the state. It also opposed the high-handedness with which the government suppresses the voices of protests by farmers.
