Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh assembly on Tuesday witnessed uproarious scenes over farm loan waiver issue and the BJP members staged a walkout as their demand for adjournment motion was not accepted by the Speaker. Raising the issue, during Zero Hour, former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan claimed the Congress had promised to waive off Rs two lakh farm loans but after coming to power altered the announcement saying only short term loans would be written off.
He went on to claim that farm loan waiver required a budget of Rs 48,000 crore but the Congress government has only provisioned Rs 5,000 cr in the budget which was no way close to sufficient. Loans were not waived off and now farmers are also not getting refinanced for seeds and fertilisers in busy sowing season, claimed Chouhan adding the farmers are forced to borrow money from money lenders. “The famers are being cheated on loan waiver,” alleged Chouahn. Claiming that farmers were in huge distress, Chouhan urged the speaker NP Prajapati to accept the adjourn motion to discuss this urgent issue.
The speaker however claimed that he has been apprised of the matter and he would ensure this comes to the House for discussion in any possible manner. However this did not satisfy the opposition. Leader of Opposition Gopal Bharghav also joined in saying also intervened saying farmers have no money to buy seeds and fertilisers and as monsoon got delayed by 20 days, it was high time farmers’ plight was heard.
Close to 12 distressed farmers have committed suicide, claimed Bhargav. Saying that July 10 would be a day reserved for budget, Bhargav claimed from July 11, general discussion would continue on budget so speaker could allow them to move adjournment motion on July 11.