Rajnath dubs UPA government ''anti-farmer''

Muzaffarpur, July 14 (UNI) Branding the UPA government as 'anti-farmer,' BJP President Rajnath Singh today alleged that the Centre had failed to protect their interests and due to its wrong polices, hundreds of them had committed suicide during the last few years in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states.

Addressing a rally here, Mr Singh said vital decisions were taken in the interests of the farmers during NDA rule at the Centre but their condition had gradually deteriorated due to wrong policies pursued by the UPA government.The NDA government had tried to provide loans to the farmers at 4 per cent annual interests but it could not be implemented due to the '' pressing circumstances,'' he said, adding that the rate of interest was, however, brought down from 14 per cent to 4 per cent.

''The erstwhile Vajpayee government had initiated measures to improve infrastructural facilities in villages but the tempo had slowed down during the regime of the UPA govrnment,'' he observed adding the NDA government had pumped massive funds for improvement of roads and providing electricity in the rural areas.

Mr Singh charged the UPA government with pursuing minority appeasement policy to take political mileage and said it would be detrimental to unity of the nation.

He termed Dr Manmohan Singh as ''weak Prime Minister'' and said that attempts were being made to install a person of '' weak personality'' in Rashtrapati Bhawan too.

UNI