Badal questions CM's claim on waiving of farmers' loan

Chandigarh, Oct 15 (UNI) Shiromani Akali Dal president Prakash Singh Badal today questioned Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's claim that he had sought a complete waiver on farmers' loans from the Centre.

''If the Chief Minister had been serious on the farmers' issue, he would not have waited till the last three or four months of his tenure to take up this issue,'' said Mr Badal in a statement on the eve of the massive protest by the SAD-BJP here.

Mr Badal said the protesters tommorow would seek an agricultural package of Rs 30,000 crore from the state and the Central governments to fight the debt trap in the beleagured peasantry, apart from demanding an extension of the industrial facilities along the lines of the one given to Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal.

He said there was a surge of enthusiasm among the farmers, employees, traders, unemployed youth and the industry related people for tomorrow's demonstration.

The protest would put pressure on the Centre to announce an agricultural and industrial package for the state without any further delay, said the SAD chief.

UNI DP SAM HT1932