PPC criticises Badal for 'downplaying' farmer loan waiver

Chandigarh, Mar 5 (UNI) Punjab Pradesh Congress today strongly condemned the reported statement of Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal where he described the loan waiver offered to the farmers by the UPA government as a "default adjustment plan".

MLAs Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Jeet Mohinder Singh in a joint statement issued here today said, "Unable to digest the magnanimous relief given to four crore farmers of the country and approx three lakh farmers of Punjab, Mr Badal is now resorting to unethical and immoral politics, it shows Mr Badal's narrow and parochial approach." "To downplay the historical budgetary offer, Mr Badal has purposely chosen to call this relief a default adjustment plan," they said adding that "Had this relief been given by the NDA Mr Badal and his team would have hailed the relief from roof tops, but because the offer is by a Congress led government, Mr Badal has chosen to call it a fraud played on the farmers." "Now that the Congress has pressed upon the SAD-BJP Government to come forward and waive the Rs 13,000 crore burden that is due to 'Arhtiyas' or commission agents by the farmers of the state, Mr Badal has chosen to shirk his duty," they said.

UNI PS JS1722