'Mahagathbandhan' to waive farm loans if brought to power, says Ajit Singh

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) president Ajit Singh said Friday that the loan of farmers would be waived if "Mahagathbhandhan" comes to power.

"Not only loan of the farmers would be waived but some other drastic steps would also be taken to improve the economic condition of the farmers," Singh said at a press conference here.

Singh favoured that Rs 5,000 per acre be transferred to the bank account of farmers prior to sowing and said the difference of market rate and the minimum support price should also be paid in the similar manner when the yield comes to market.

The RLD leader latched onto a "report" according to which the income of farmers has decreased during the last four years.

He also voiced concern over the "misuse" of the anti-defection law.

"Something should be done to check misuse of the anti-defection law," he said, when asked if he was in favour of some changes in the law, through the private member's bill in Parliament, to counter its abuse.

Singh cited example of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana ,where legislators not only had left the party but held ministerial berths, but were not acted upon under the anti-defection law.

On the removal of Alok Verma as CBI director, after the apex court reinstated him with limited powers, Singh alleged that the sovereignty of all the independent institutions is being eroded in the Modi government.

Singh said he was in favour of reducing the income limit for providing 10 per cent reservation to the poor in the general category in government jobs and educational institutions.

He said under the existing income limit of Rs 8 lakh, 85 per cent people would be eligible for the quota, "making mockery of the legislation as a real poor person cannot compete with them".

On the contentious issue of construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, Singh said, "It may be built anywhere in Ayodhya but not at the disputed site, since the matter is pending in the apex court."