Bengaluru,Jul 13 (DHNS): JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said on Sunday that his party will get back the properties pledged by the farmers to raise loans if it comes to power in the next Assembly elections.
“I promise that the next government will get back your pledged properties. Wait for two to three years. The aim of the JD(S) aim is to instal such a government. The party will stand by you. It’s our responsibility to save your properties. Do not take the extreme step of committing suicide,” he said at a media conference.
Incidents of farmers committing suicide is on the increase in the State. The farmers are taking the extreme step as they are unable to repay loans. As an Opposition party, the JD(S) will urge the State government to take immediate measures to waive off all kinds of loans the farmers in the State have taken, he added.
He announced that the legislators of his party have decided to give away their one-month salary in order to extend financial assistance to the family members of the farmers who have committed suicide recently. The JD(S) has opened 24/7 helplines – 99000 31555 / 99000 25777 – for extending support to the aggrieved farmers, he said.
Besides, he said the party has decided to meet the family members of the farmers who committed suicide recently. To begin with, the party leaders will visit the family members in the five districts of Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Hassan, Mandya, Ramanagara and Bengaluru Rural on July 18 and 19. Later, after the completion of the ongoing Legislature session, the party leaders will visit the aggrieved families in north Karnataka, he added.
Kumaraswamy charged the Siddaramaiah government for doing nothing to prevent suicides. “The government is least bothered about farmers’ suicide. It has not taken any stand on the issue so far. It did not even allow the Opposition parties to discuss about the problems of the farmers in the Legislature session held at Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi,” he said.
Asked about reports that the State Congress is divided over inviting its leader Rahul Gandhi to the State in the wake of farmers’ suicide, the JD(S) leader asked: “Does Rahul Gandhi require an invitation to meet the farmers? Is he is not aware of the farmers’ deaths.”
JD(S) LP meet
He said the JD(S) legislature party will meet on Monday morning to discuss about moving a no-confidence motion against the Siddaramaiah government. “The intention of the party is not to topple the government. The move will give an opportunity to discuss all burning issues in the State,” he said.