BJP vows to waive up to Rs 1 lakh crop loans to farmers in Karnataka

All crop loans up to Rs 1 lakh given to farmers in Karnataka would be waived when the Bharatiya Janata Party comes to power in Karnataka, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday.

"Our party will waive all crop loans up to Rs 1 lakh given to farmers after coming to power in Karnataka," Singh said, electioneering for the party at Sedam in Karnataka.

Singh said that over 3,800 farmers in the state had committed suicide during the five-year rule of the Congress government. Crop loans were given at zero per cent interest rate when BJP chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa was the chief minister, he added.

"Yeddyurappa ran a farmer-friendly government in the state," he said.

Criticising the Congress’ five-year rule in the state, Singh said law and order situation in the state was a matter of grave concern and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was least concerned for the farmers. The CM announced just Rs 1 lakh for the families of farmers who had committed suicide, he said.

"Sidde Sarkar is Nidde Sarkar (the Siddaramaiah government is a sleeping government). The people of Karnataka brought them to power and they remained in deep slumber all these years," he said.

Claiming that even top-level officers do not feel safe in the state, Singh said, "The Congress has adopted Kerala's model of political violence in the state."

Singh then alleged that development had disappeared from the state.

"Development has disappeared from Karnataka. It seems we have to file an FIR to find the missing development," he said.

Promising a better government, Singh said the BJP if voted to power would constitute a Special Investigation Cell under a woman police officer to investigate pending cases of crimes against women.

"We will also increase the number of women in the police (force). The Home Ministry had issued 33 per cent reservation advisory to all states," he said.

Election to the 224-member Karnataka assembly is due on May 12. The BJP is contesting all the 224 seats.