'There's a limit to lies': Shivraj Singh Chouhan slams Cong' farm loan waiver promise

BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday slammed Congress for promising loan waivers to farmers of Haryana in the party's manifesto after it had failed to implement it in Madhya Pradesh and two other states.

"It is the height of shamelessness. Rahul Gandhiji had himself said that Congress will waive off all loans of farmers under 10 days otherwise we will change the chief minister, 10 months have passed, but the loans have not been waived off here. And they are promising the same in Haryana this time, there is a limit even for lies," Chouhan told ANI here.

Further accusing the Kamal Nath government of failing to help the farmers he said, "The farmers are in anguish, many people became defaulters and many of those are now committing suicide. There is a limit even on speaking lies, how much more can the Congress deceive the people."

Urging Congress to apologise to the farmers whom they had troubled through their hollow promises made in the past, Chouhan said, "Congress has become a thug party now. They should apologize for not waiving off farm loans in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and they should stop making such promises in the future, the people are not going to be deceived by them anymore."

Earlier today, Chief Minister Kamal Nath had said his party colleague Jyotiraditya Scindia was correct in claiming that farm loan of only up to Rs 50,000 has been waived off so far but he promised that his government will waive off farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh in due course of time.

"He (Scindia) is right. We had said we will waive off Rs 50,000 farm loan in the first instalment. Next, we will waive off up to Rs 2 lakh. I agree that to have promised Rs 2 lakh farm loan waiver. I believe the public trust their leader," Chief Minister Nath told reporters here.

The Chief Minister, however, said that suggestions for improvement are welcome, but one should first know the facts and truths, which are in front of the people.

"The farm loans have not been waived off in totality. Loan of only Rs 50,000 has been waived off even when we had promised that loan up to Rs 2 Lakh will be waived," Scindia had said earlier.

"The loans should be waived off completely," he had added.

Reacting to both Scindia and Digvijaya Singh's statements, who had pointed towards cattle being on the loose in the roads of the state, Chouhan said that it seemed like an attempt to put pressure on the Chief Minister.

"Both Digvijaya and Scindiaji can meet the chief minister anytime and give him suggestions. This tweeting and commenting is a way to pressurise him so that he will be forced to do what they want," Chouhan said.