Daijiworld Media Network-Bengaluru (RJP)

Bengaluru, July 19: “Police officials are extorting money from unauthorised moneylenders by threatening them with consequences,” charged JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy in a press conference in Bengaluru on Saturday, July 18.

“The police, instead of apprehending moneylenders who levy high rates of interest, have resorted to extorting money from them. Our party’s helpline has received several complaints to this effect and even the government is aware of the matter,” former chief minister added.

“I congratulate former chief minister S M Krishna, who visited the farmers’ houses while the chief minister Siddaramaiah and Congress leaders have failed to take any imitative in this regard,” Kumaraswamy said.

“If farmer suicides have to stop, then the government should immediately waive the interest amount on loans farmers seek from cooperative institutions and nationalised banks.” He added.

Criticising Congress MLC V S Ugrappa for his statement that the veracity of the suicides had to be established by carrying out investigations, he said it was unfortunate that the government was viewing the issue with suspicion. He termed Ugrappa as the chief minister’s ‘mouth piece’.