New Delhi: It was Rahul vs Rajnath in the Lok Sabha on Thursday when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed the government over the condition of farmers and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh countered Gandhi as he said people who ran the government for decades were responsible for the situation of farmers.
Speaking at the lower house of the Parliament during the Zero Hour, Gandhi highlighted the problems being faced by farmers in Kerala, particularly in his constituency Wayanad.
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“The farmers in the country are suffering. I would like to draw the govt’s attention towards it. No concrete steps were taken in the Union Budget to provide relief to the farmers,” Raul Gandhi said.
“I would like to request the Central govt to direct RBI to consider the moratorium by Kerala govt & ensure that banks don’t threaten farmers with recovery notice,” he said.
“Yesterday, a farmer in Wayanad committed suicide due to debt. In Wayanad, bank notices for non-payment of loans given to 8000 farmers. Under a relevant act, their properties are attached against their bank loans, this is resulting in rise in farmers suicide,” Gandhi further added.
Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, who was present in the House launched a counter-attack and said people who ran the government for decades were responsible for the situation of farmers. Singh said most suicides by farmers took place before the BJP-led government came to power.
He also said following efforts of the Modi government, the income of farmers increased by 20-25%.