VP slams Cong for SEZ policy, farmers' suicide

Lucknow, Sep 28: Former Prime Minister and Jan Morcha leader V P Singh today slammed the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for its policy on the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and large numbers of suicide by farmers who were unable to repay loans.

''Congress will have to make a reply on the SEZ policy. Congress Chief Ministers have been asked to develop SEZs on wastelands, while there is no word from the Centre for non-Congress CMs. Congress is part of the central government...Have the non-Congress CMs been exempted,'' he quipped commenting on the recent meeting of Congress CMs at Nainital.

Talking to reporters here, the former PM said his front would launch a national-level agitation if Congress and the centre failed to make necessary amendments in the law in the next session of Parliament.

''Land should only be acquired by the government to construct hospitals and schools...first the SEZ should come up on wastelands, second the private builders should buy the land at market price,'' Mr Singh opined.

He criticised the central government on rising incidents of farmers' suicide. ''Banks have been given sweeping powers to issue recovery certificates (RCs) and arrest the defaulters...a farmer's life is more important that recovery of loan and interest.'' He claimed like Tamil Nadu, the state governments could at least ask state co-operative banks to waive off interest on the loans.

UNI

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