Farmers’ loans would be completely waived-off within 10 days if Congress party comes to power post the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, said party President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday. He further charged the ruling BJP with creating two Chhattisgarhs, one of the rich and the other of the poor and exploited.
Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over crony capitalism and Chief Minister Raman Singh and his family for corruption, while campaigning for the second phase of polls in the state.
"Chhattisgarh was created so that it’s natural resources can be utilised for the welfare of the people but now we have two Chhattisgarhs - one of the rich, of those wearing suit-boot and the second of the masses, poor, marginalised, farmers and workers,” said Rahul Gandhi.
"We don't want two Chhattisgarhs, we want justice," he said, addressing a rally in this erstwhile princely state.
He further claimed that Rs 3.5 lakh crore of corporate loans were waived off by the Centre and demanded Modi to answer why was not even a rupee of farm loans had been waived.
"I had asked Modi why was he not writing-off loans given to the poor farmers, but he never bothered to reply. So, from here I declare that within 10 days of coming to power in the state, we will waive off loans of each and every farmer," said Gandhi.
He said the waiver of farm loans will be offset by recoveries from fraudsters like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi who, with the help of the Modi government, had defrauded banks of billions of rupees.
Launching an attack on Chief Minister Raman Singh over a Rs 5,000 crore chit fund scam and a Rs 36,000 crore scam in the public distribution system, the Congress chief said, "In the PDS scam, Rs 36,000 crore was siphoned off. A diary was seized where it was written that the money was given to CM Madam and Dr. Saheb. I want to ask Singh who is this CM Madam and Dr Saheb?"
The first phase of polling in 18 constituencies across eight Maoist-affected districts was held on November 12.
The second phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly polls in 72 constituencies spread across 19 districts will held on November 20 and the votes will be counted on December 11.
