Waiver of crop loans : CM Siddaramaiah criticises BSY for double standards

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said State BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa’s double standards on waiver of crop loans have been exposed.

Siddaramaiah said he would heed to the former chief minister’s demand of waiving crop loans only if the Centre waives at least 50% of the crop loans availed by the State’s farmers from nationalised banks.

Yeddyurappa, who had opposed waiving of crop loans when he was Chief Minister, is now demanding waiver of loans availed by farmers from cooperative banks. “Why did Yeddyurappa not waive crop loans when he was Chief Minister?” Siddaramaiah asked.

Only about 20 per cent of the farmers have availed loans from cooperative societies, which come under the State sector.

The remaining has taken aid from nationalised banks, which are under Central control. The chief minister said the loans taken from cooperative societies account for Rs. 11,000 crore, as against Rs. 40,000 crore taken from nationalised banks.

The chief minister said this clearly showed that the Centre would have to take action for a majority of farmers to benefit.

He was speaking after paying tribute to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary at the Congress office. He said instead touring various districts, BJP leaders should have gone to New Delhi and requested the PM to waive crop loans.