Farm loan waiver: Karnataka BJP criticises CM Shivakumar for pointing towards Central funds

Bengaluru, Sep 5 (AHN) Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, on Saturday criticised Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for allegedly shifting the responsibility of farm loan waiver to the Centre, and demanded that the State government take the initiative to waive farmers’ loans.

In a post on social media platform X, Ashoka questioned what kind of governance it was to point fingers at the Centre when farmers sought a loan waiver.

“Earlier, State governments, including those led by your own party in Karnataka, had waived farmers’ loans whenever necessary and come to their aid. But today, pointing towards the Centre to escape responsibility is shameful,” he said.

Ashoka also targeted the government over the promises made in its 2023 Assembly election manifesto. He questioned what had happened to the promised Rs 1.50 lakh crore ‘Krishi Sarvodaya Nidhi’ and the proposed Rs 5,000 crore permanent natural calamity fund.

He also questioned the Congress party’s promise to provide interest-free agricultural loans ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

“Before the elections, you showed farmers castles in the air through your promises. After coming to power, you emptied the State treasury and are now saying the Centre should do it. This is the height of irresponsibility,” Ashoka alleged.

He urged the State government to first announce a farm loan waiver at its own level and release compensation under the Rs 5,000 crore natural calamity fund promised in the Congress manifesto.

“First fulfil the State’s responsibilities and then talk about taking a delegation to the Centre,” he said.

Ashoka further criticised Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over his aerial survey of drought-hit areas, questioning whether farmers’ hardships could be understood from a helicopter.

Ashoka said aerial surveys were justified during floods, but questioned the need to survey dry and cracked fields from the air. He asked why Shivakumar was reluctant to visit farmers’ fields and interact with them directly.

Ashoka alleged that the Chief Minister was avoiding farmers’ questions and feared that the government’s failures would be exposed if he came to the ground.

He said farmers in Ballari, Vijayanagara and Bagalkot needed immediate relief rather than “publicity photo shoots.”

Ashoka also claimed that money spent on helicopter rental and fuel could have been used to provide relief to affected farmer families.

He urged Shivakumar to visit the fields and personally reassure farmers.