Farmers suicide: Pinarayi seeks Rahul's support in raising issue of farmer debt in parliament
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the issue of providing relief to the families of farmers, who committed suicide over failure to repay bank loans, needs to be raised in Parliament.
The Union government needs to take a stand regarding the agricultural loans taken by farmers from commercial banks, he said on Friday in a reply to the letter written by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.
A copy of the letter was released to the media.
Vijayan said since the farmers across the country were facing "severe distress" due to their mounting debts and difficulty in repaying the loans availed by them, the matter needs to be raised in Parliament.
"This issue needs to be raised in the Parliament and I hope that you will join us in taking up the issue of relief for the debt affected families," he said.
Gandhi, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Wayanad, had asked the state government to provide assistance to the family of V D Dineshan, a Wayanad farmer, who committed suicide allegedly due to mounting debt.
The chief minister said that since outstanding loans from commercial banks come under the SARFAESI Act, it is for the Centre to take a considered stand regarding the farmers' debts.
Vijayan also said he had asked the Wayanad district collector to conduct a detailed inquiry into the suicide of the farmer and submit a report to the government for taking further action, including providing financial assistance.
Pointing out that the state was making continued efforts to help the farmers, he said there was a moratorium on repayment of farmers' loans till December this year.
Dinesh Kumar, 53, had ended his life after consuming a poisonous substance on May 25. His relatives had said financial burden forced him to take the extreme step.
Gandhi, in his letter dated May 28, said he was "deeply saddened" by the farmer's suicide and requested the state government to conduct an inquiry and extend financial support to the family.
"Kumar's case isn't an isolated one. There have been a spate of farmer suicides in Wayanad, due to an inability to repay loans," Gandhi had said in his letter.
The Congress chief said it was important to consider "long-term measures" to free farmers from the "vicious debt trap" given the devastating impact of the last year's floods.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Messi scores, but Inter Miami only gets 2-2 tie with Austin FC in opener of new stadium
Miami (AP): Lionel Messi scored on the long-awaited opening night in his new home stadium. And Luis Suarez found a way to tie things up late in the second half.
It was good enough to salvage a point for Inter Miami.
Messi scored on a header in the 10th minute, Suarez hammered home a volley in the 82nd minute and Inter Miami escaped with a 2-2 tie against Austin FC in the defending MLS champions' first match at their still-under-construction stadium near Miami International Airport on Saturday night.
Inter Miami (3-1-2) is now unbeaten in its last five MLS matches, and Austin (1-2-3) is now winless in its last four contests.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber was at the match, lauding the work that David Beckham — who picked Miami 13 years ago — did to get to this day. Inter Miami is in its seventh MLS season, its third with Messi, but has played home matches in Fort Lauderdale until now.
Garber touted the stadium opening as the latest sign of growth for MLS.
“I think our best days are still ahead," Garber said. "David shined a light on our league, and Leo's taking that torch, and he's showing it around. And we're getting calls from players around the world.”
The Herons never led; Austin took a 1-0 lead on Guilherme Biro's goal — the first ever at Nu Stadium — in the sixth minute, and the visitors went up 2-1 when speedy reserve Jayden Nelson scored in the 53rd minute.
Messi and Suarez both got tying goals, and Inter Miami missed some chances for a potential winner in the final minutes. Maybe the best of the lot: Mateo Silvetti's chance in the 87th minute, when he accepted a cross from the right wing and tried to one-time the ball but sent it sailing high.
“We already know what Leo is capable of and the trouble he causes for the opposition, and even without the ball as well,” Inter Miami defender Maxi Falcon told Apple TV after the match. “And Luis, too — whenever he's inside the box, he's lethal, and he proved that once again.”
Suarez thought he scored in the 90th minute after a free kick from Messi, but the play was called offside. And Messi had a chance about three minutes later from inside the box, but Brad Stuver got low for a save diving to his left to keep the game knotted at 2-2.
Stuver said it was a great result, especially given the circumstances — against the MLS champs, who were opening their new stadium.
“We got to be the villains,” Stuver said.
Austin led much of the second half, after Nelson came on at intermission and gave his club a spark.
Nelson — who played for Vancouver against Inter Miami in last season's MLS Cup final — got behind the defense, avoided going offside and took a pass from Myrto Uzuni in the middle of the field about 30 yards from the goal.
He sent a low shot that got past charging Inter Miami goalie Dayne St. Clair and kissed off the inside of the left goalpost before settling into the net.
