Patil not behind farm loan waiver scheme: Congress

New Delhi, July 28 (ANI): Downplaying the claim that President Pratibha Patil was behind union government's ambitious farm loan waiver scheme, the Congress party has maintained that inputs for the scheme had from diverse quarters.

Commenting on a remark by presidential secretary Christy Fernandes that Patil was instrumental in the implementation of the scheme; Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi maintained that the scheme was party's brainchild.

"The comments are being misinterpreted. Broad issues of public interest like farm loan waiver have inputs from diverse quarters. All inputs together form the final policy," Singhvi said.

Fernandes, who had made the observation in the presence of Patil, had said not many people know that it was the President who spearheaded and gave advice to the government that it must have appropriate mechanism by which the plight of the farmers could be addressed and that resulted in the massive loan waiver programme of the previous government.

Meanwhile, crediting the scheme to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Secretary, AICC Media Department, Tom Vadakkan said: "It is Mrs Gandhi and Mrs Gandhi herself behind the whole farmers' strengthening process that has been launched by the Congress." (ANI)