Badal charges Congress with failing to give relief to farmers

Jalandhar, Nov 6 (UNI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President and former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal today charged the ruling Congress with failure in providing relief to debt-ridden farmers of the state.

Talking to UNI, Mr Badal said, ''Despite the Congress government's rule both at the Centre and the state, the party has still not relieved the farmers from their debt burden due to lack of political will.'' ''Such efforts are made with strong political will and resolve, but the Congress government lacks both,'' he alleged.

The SAD President said the ruling party was not indifferent to miseries of the farmers, but it was merely indulging in political gimmicks.

''When the government could announce packages and programmes for sick industries and for farmers of other states, why can't similar benefits be extended to the debt-ridden farmers of Punjab?'' he asked.

Mr Badal alleged Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and other ruling party leaders had failed to make effective presentation in the case of farmers before the Centre.

He also condemned the Congress state president Shamsher Singh Dullo's statement in which the latter had said that loans of farmers could not be waived.

Mr Badal assured that if his party came to power after the next assembly elections in Punjab, it would make sincere efforts for providing relief to farmers.

He also reiterated the need of linking crop minimum support price (MSP) with the price index.

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