Siddaramaiah hits out at Modi on loan waiver scheme, calls him 'anti-farmer'
Bengaluru, Dec 31: Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for criticising the state government's farm loan waiver scheme and called him "anti-farmer".
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he questioned Modi's moral right to criticise the state government on the issue.
"I had twice led delegations (to Modi) as a chief minister, he did not agree to waive a single rupee. What moral right does he have?" said Siddaramaiah who is also head of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coordination committee in Karnataka.
Alleging that Modi and his government were against the agriculture sector, he questioned their contribution to the farming community.
"Ok we have given lollipop, what pop has he given? What has he given?" Siddaramaiah asked.
"What has he and his party governments done in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh until recently, and in Bihar and other states where the BJP is running a coalition government?" he questioned.
Addressing a rally at Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh last week, Modi had said that the Congress promised loan waivers to lakhs of farmers, but the JD(S)-Congress coalition in Karnataka did not deliver.
"Lollipops were handed out. The loan waiver was given to only 800 farmers," he had claimed.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has also hit out at Modi for terming the state government's loan waiver scheme for farmers "one of the most cruel jokes", accusing him of misleading the country for "political gains".
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
