Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that BJP leaders from the State should take a delegation to prevail upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release funds for drought relief, instead of holding ‘Raitha Chaitanya Yatre’.
Speaking to presspersons during a brief stopover at Hubballi airport on way to Haveri, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that the BJP leaders who were conducting ‘Raitha Chaitanya Yatre’ were not really concerned about the farmers. “If they are really concerned, they should get funds from Centre for drought relief.”
Terming it a ‘BJP Chaitanya Yatre’, he said that former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa had become desperate because of various cases against him and “non-cooperation from within his party” and that was the reason for his “incoherent statements.”
No relief yet
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that although the State government had been seeking assistance for drought relief since August, barring the visit of the Central team nothing had happened. The official loss had been put at Rs. 3,600 crore, but till date the Centre had not extended any monetary assistance.
He said that the State government had already announced interest waiver to mitigate the sufferings of farmers. “If the BJP leaders are really concerned about farmers, they should prevail upon the Union government to waive the loans taken by farmers from nationalised banks.”
To a query, the Chief Minister said that the Cabinet expansion would take place after the visit of AICC Vice-President Rahul Gandhi to the State on October 9 and 10. The issue would be discussed with the central leaders.
