No deadline for submitting details for loan-waiver, don't panic: HDK tells farmers
New Delhi, Oct 5 : Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Friday asked farmers to submit requisite details to avail of Rs 45,000 crore farm-loan waiver announced by the government and said there is no need to panic as no deadline has been fixed to submit the forms.
Kumaraswamy said misinformation was being spread in the state that there is a deadline to avail of the benefit, "causing panic among farmers".
The chief minister said his cabinet has approved a 'debt relief act' that aims to protect farmers from harassment at the hands of private lenders and appealed them not to take extreme steps like committing suicide.
The state is now awaiting approval from the Centre to roll out the legislation.
"We will be successful in implementing the loan waiver scheme, if farmers provide all details properly. There is no deadline for this. No need to fear. Don't pay heed to misinformation," Kumaraswamy told reporters after meeting the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the debt relief law and flood aid.
Under the Rs 45,000-crore loan waiver scheme, farmers are required to submit certain details so that the government can transfer funds directly into their bank accounts and ensure no middlemen takes advantage, he said.
There is no deadline as such and farmers need not worry that they have to leave farm work and run around for submitting the form, he added.
On the debt relief law, Kumaraswamy said the Union Home Ministry had sought two clarifications. "We have gave that clarifications to them," he said.
"The act will be cleared. I appeal to farmers not to commit suicide due to harassment by private lenders. Please take advantage of the loan waiver scheme," Kumaraswamy said and assured the government is with farmers.
JDS chief and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and his son PWD minister H D Revanna were present in the meeting.
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Marxism will remain relevant despite Left electoral's losses, says general secretary M A Baby
New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Thursday asserted that the Left movement would remain relevant despite not being in power in any state, saying the ideology would continue to endure as long as social and economic inequalities persist.
Hitting back at BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his reported remarks that Marxism had become irrelevant, Baby, in an interview with PTI Videos, said, "So long as there is division in society, so long as there is exploitation of the majority of workers, peasants and ordinary masses by a handful of billionaires, Marxism will remain relevant."
"That perhaps Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar may not be able to understand, but this is the fact of the matter," he said.
Baby acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led Left was currently without an elected government in any state, but maintained that electoral setbacks would not diminish the movement's role.
"We may not have an elected government in any state. There were occasions when we didn't have a government. But the red flag and the commitment to organise and struggle for the rights of the dispossessed, marginalised and exploited will always be upheld by CPI(M) and the Left movement," he said.
He said the Left continued to enjoy support among workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, youth, students and women, and argued that the movement remained necessary because "oppression and assault" continued in society.
"So long as such problems exist in society, the red flag and the working class movement will continue to work among the masses," the Left leader said.
Exuding confidence on the Left's revival, Baby said the party would reflect on the reasons behind its electoral loss.
"We may be rejected in one election, but we will stage our comeback by understanding what went wrong with us," he said, adding, "We will listen to people and we will come back with higher strength."
Baby also criticised the Congress over reported factional tensions in Kerala after the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the state.
"The way they are behaving is being watched by the people of Kerala," he said, referring to infighting within the Congress.
"Those who have given a massive majority to Congress and UDF would be watching all this," he added, while urging party leaders to "settle the problem in an amicable, democratic manner".
Referring to West Bengal, Baby alleged that violence had escalated following the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls.
"It is quite unfortunate that the moment BJP snatched a massive victory in West Bengal, violence has also started on a big scale," he said.
He also accused the Trinamool Congress of being "notorious for violent activities" and alleged that the "RSS-controlled BJP" had "unleashed violence in many places" after the election results.
"This is not good for Bengal, not good for the country. We wish and hope that normalcy would be restored as soon as possible," he said.
Baby said the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal would continue efforts to "pacify people" and avoid violence and confrontation.
Asked about former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan not reacting publicly to the election results, Baby said Vijayan would respond "at an appropriate time".
