Loan waiver: BJP, Congress clash over farmers' debt in Gujarat

The Congress and BJP had heated arguments over a private member bill moved by Congress MLA from Visavadar Harshad Ribadiya for debt waiver of farmers in the state. As per the Opposition, the move was necessary since "its because of the anti-farmer policy of the state and Central governments, the farmers are in debt", while the BJP accused the Congress of bad mouthing the farmers in the state as those who did not repay loans.

The bill was eventually defeated by a vote after the Congress refused to withdraw it. Speaking about the issue, Ribadiya said that lack of irrigation facilities coupled with the import policy of the Central government had pushed farmers in the state to the brink.

"When you import pulses and other farm products in abundance at cheap rates, prices are going to crash in the domestic market. The MSP support being offered to farmers is also a pittance," said Ribadiya even as the Congress members shouted Jai Jawan Jai Kisan.

Vikram Madam, Congress MLA from Khambaliya said that the UPA had waived off farmers debt but the eventual policies of the BJP again pushed them into debt. "During the UPA regime, the MSP for groundnut was Rs 12,00 per quintal while it was Rs1,400 per quintal for cotton. Today it is Rs 900 for 20% of the farmers and Rs700 for the rest," said Madam.

Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel called the bill an attempt by the Congress to show itself as a champion of farmers when in fact it was defaming them. "The problem with Congress is that it does not understand the difference between loan and debt. It is only when a farmer is unable to pay a loan that he goes into debt. But statistics show that the loan availed and repaid by the farmers in the state rose increasingly. Over 89% of the farmers rapid their loans in the year 2014-15 which increased to 95% in the year 2018-19. This shows that the farmers are not only availing loans but are also repaying them," said Patel.

He also called the previous Congress government as paapi (sinners) which led to a ruckus in the house with the Congress stating that the BJP carried out atrocities on the farmers.

SLINGING MUD

• BJP accused the Congress of bad mouthing the farmers in the state
   
• It called the bill an attempt by Congress to show itself as a champion of farmers
   
• Congress claimed its because of the anti-farmer policy of the state and Centre, the farmers are in debt 
   
• Dy CM called the previous Congress government as paapi