Madras High Court orders Tamil Nadu govt to waive off farmers loan

Source:- india.com

Chennai, Apr 4: In a huge respite for protesting farmers of Tamil Nadu, Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered state government to waive off loans acquired by all sections of farmers in cooperative societies. According to initial information, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court ordered loan waiver for farmers who took loans from cooperative society. Protesting farmers called the Madras High Court order of loan waiver as major victory of their struggle. Drought-hit farmers of Tamil Nadu have been staging protest at Delhi Jantar Mantar since last 23 days.

Half-naked farmers, who came from Thanjavur and Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu’s of Cauvery belt, are on hunger strike with skulls of dead farmers since last 23 days. Leaders from Tamil Nadu cutting across the political spectrum have offered their support to the state’s farmers who have been protesting at Jantar Mantar demanding a drought relief package of Rs 40,000 crore from the Centre and farm loan waiver.

Farmers were refusing to give in until their demands, including drought relief package of Rs 40,000 crore and farm loan waiver, are met. The central government on Saturday has released Rs 1,447.99 crore to Tamil Nadu and Rs 1,782.44 crore to Karnataka as financial assistance for drought relief. Last week, DMK working president M K Stalin met the protesting Tamil Nadu farmers at Jantar Mantar and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi waive off their loans like he promised in Uttar Pradesh during the recent Assembly polls there.

After meeting farmers at Jantar Mantar on Friday, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said the BJP government is “Kisan Virodhi” (anti-farmer) and asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi can give debt relief to the rich, then why not to farmers.