Jagadish Reddy slams govt over crop loan waiver 'fiasco'

Hyderabad: Former minister and BRS MLA Jagadish Reddy on Tuesday criticised the Congress government for its failure in waiving farm loans. He alleged that several ministers themselves were saying that the crop loan has not been waived off for all the farmers.

“According to bank estimates, more than 50 lakh farmers have crop loan dues worth Rs 49,000 crore. However, the ministers said ₹31,000 crore would be waived off. So far, the number of beneficiaries of the loan waiver has not been clearly stated. State Minister Uttam is saying that funds would be deposited in the accounts of another 15 lakh farmers,” he said. He mocked that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was taking credit by stating that he had waived off the crop loans of all the farmers and wondered as to who should to rub their nose to the ground as the crop loan scheme was not extended to all the farmers?

Speaking to media persons at Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad, he demanded an apology from CM Revanth Reddy to the farmers of Telangana and added that Revanth Reddy should resign from his post for cheating the farmers. "Every minister is talking differently about the loan waiver scheme. There is no clarity on how many farmers, who have not been given the loan waiver, will have to complain. Officials and bank staff are saying they don't know anything about how many people will be waived off the loans further? Tell me how many people have been waived off the loans. It should be clarified by what date the remaining will be waived off,” he demanded.

Jagadish Reddy said they have not yet started their work as an Opposition party. He said the farmers themselves were on the road. “The agitating farmers are being intimidated with cases. If the government waives Rs 2 lakh, the rest will be borne by the farmers," he said while adding that if the government waives ₹.2 lakh, the rest will be paid by the farmers. He made it clear that the BRS would not be cowed down if farmers are oppressed. He also made it clear that his party would stand by the farmers. He demanded that the Congress government release a white paper on the loan waiver.

He said after the BRS returns to power, they would remove the statue of Rajiv Gandhi at the secretariat. "What is the connection of Rajiv Gandhi with Telangana? Those who do not have the soul of Telangana are in power,” he alleged. He demanded an answer from former TJAC chairman Kodandaram on the installation of Rajiv Gandhi statue issue.