Waiving interest on loans is not enough: Gadkari

Mumbai, July 28 (UNI) Maharashtra BJP president Nitin Gadkari today alleged that the Prime Minister's announcement of waiving the interest on the loans taken by farmers will only benefit cooperative banks which are run by NCP leaders in Vidarbha.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Gadkari said for the last five years, nearly 2300 debt-ridden farmers had committed suicide.

Even after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Vidarbha, around 70 such suicides had taken place.

''The only way to provide succour to the farmers is to waive the loans completely and provide fresh loans at five per cent interest,'' Mr Gadkari said.

Mr Gadkari said he has called a meeting of all party MPs from Maharashtra on August 2 in New Delhi to discuss the issue. The BJP will hold demonstrations at Yavatmal on August 9 and the demonstrations will be led by party president Rajnath Singh, senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde, Leader of Opposition Pandurang Phundkar, and he (Mr Gadkari) himself. The demonstrations will be against the ''vague assurances to the farmers by the Central and State governments''.

While holding the Congress-NCP alliance and the UPA Government responsible for the plight of the farmers, Mr Gadkari claimed that during the NDA Government's regime, the farmers were provided a good price for their produce.

UNI JM MAZ AB PM2019