Lok Sabha polls: Siddaramaiah asks if farmers’ conscience will allow them to vote for BJP

March 18, 2024 09:35 pm | Updated 09:35 pm IST - Bengaluru

Asking farmers if their conscience would allow them to vote for the BJP that has meted out “injustice” in irrigation projects, drought relief, and in not increasing man days under MGNREGA, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said that in the past former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had promised to waive loans but refused to do so once assuming power.

“The BJP in its manifesto in 2018 had promised to waive loans of farmers in nationalised banks up to ₹1 lakh. After coming to power, Mr. Yediyurappa had asked if he had a note printing machine to fund the loan waiver. When farmers sought fertilizers, he had ordered police firing in which innocent farmers died. Will your (farmers) conscience allow you to vote for the son of Mr. Yediyurappa?” he asked, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Shivamogga from where B.Y. Raghavendra is contesting.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said: “It has been more than six months since drought was announced in the State and I have written several letters to the Centre to release ₹18,177 crore as drought relief. I have met Union Home Minister Amit Shah personally seeking release of money but not a paise has been released so far. Why does the BJP hate farmers?” The Centre has not responded to the State’s request to increase man days from 100 days to 150 days under MGNREGA to prevent migration of farmers in distress, he added.