In scathing attack, PM Modi blasts Congress for the pathetic condition of Karnataka’s farmers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lambasted the Congress government for the pathetic conditions of farmers in Karnataka. He was addressing the rally in drought-hit Koppal district.  He urged the people of Karnataka to question the incumbent Karnataka CM about the promised irrigation projects. Where is all the money for the project has gone? There have been reports and allegations about serious irrigation scams in Karnataka, wherein under government patronage, contractors were given benefits and farmers were looted and deprived of their rights. Expelled Congress party leader Shehzad Poonawala in a video talked about the irrigation scam going on in Karnataka.

https://twitter.com/Shehzad_Ind/status/994104413420695552

PM Modi in his rally also raised questions over the shortage of water within the state. PM Modi said that despite having dams like Tungabhadra and Almatti, farmers are struggling to get basic access to irrigation and water. PM Modi in a relentless attack launched against the incumbent Congress government, said that the government was in sleeping mode and were least interested in solving the problems faced by farmers. In the last five years, Congress has completely ruined the condition of farmers in Karnataka. Farmers in Karnataka still largely depend upon rainwater for their crops. The government has done nothing to change this situation and might pay for it in the upcoming elections.

PM Modi has hit the right chord, as farmer and agrarian distress is a major cause for worry in rural Karnataka. In the year 2014-15, 101 farmers committed suicide in Karnataka. In 2016-17, 103 farmers committed suicide. Overall, around 2000 farmers have committed suicide in Karnataka in just the last three years. The sowing of Tur and Paddy has also declined in the state. Three lakh hectares of Tur and paddy were sown in the year 2016-17 which has now fallen down to only 2 lakh hectares. Major reasons attributed to this rapid decline are droughts and indebtedness among the farmers of Karnataka. Droughts, crop failure and indebtedness are also the reason behind the increase in farmer suicide rate in the state. Given these facts, Karnataka CM’s claim that his loan waiver Runamukta Bhagya is a success does not hold any water. In fact numbers and data indicate quite the opposite and prove inability and complete failure of Siddaramaiah to solve farmer distress and the agrarian crisis in the state.

Worried about declining popularity, Siddaramaiah through the Congress election manifesto desperately tried to reach out to farmers at the last minute. In the manifesto, he has promised that if Congress government comes back to power, they will double farmer income and constitute a statutory farmer’s income commission to ensure the basic livelihood for farmers, agricultural labourers and agricultural households. The party in its manifesto has also promised to develop ‘Agricultural Corridor for Karnataka’.

BJP in its manifesto has also attempted to reach out to farmers. BJP has promised to allocate 1.5 lakh crore for irrigation projects, farm loan waiver of up to Rs. 1 Lakh and an increase in MSP of notified crops by 1.5times. 

Both the parties are trying hard to reach out to farmers as they know that the gateway to Bangalore goes through the farmlands of Karnataka.  Sensing a political opportunity, BJP has focused more on farmer distress in its manifesto. In his Koppal rally, PM Modi said that the Congress only thinks about its own welfare. He re-affirmed that his party is committed to the welfare and prosperity of the state’s agricultural workers.