Appealing to the farming community not to commit suicide, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday said that he would be disturbed if any farmer in the State ends life owing to loan burden.
“I’m taking many steps to help farmers and if they commit suicide, the purpose of these measures go waste. Give me some time and I will solve all your problems,” he said.
Speaking after laying foundation stones for various development works in Hassan, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he was shocked to hear the suicide of four members of a family in Mandya district on Saturday.
“I was in Sringeri when I received the news. It is true that the farmer had met me during Janata Darshan. He had borrowed over ₹16 lakh from private moneylenders. I told him not to worry and assured him of help soon. We have taken steps to relieve the farming community of the torture of private moneylenders,” he said.
Referring to BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa’s comment on the farmer’s suicide, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he did not require any lesson from Mr. Yeddyurappa on farmers’ problems. “When he was the Deputy Chief Minister in the JD(S)-BJP coalition government, Mr. Yeddyurappa never thought of farm loan waiver. He has no moral right to criticise me. I would rather quit active politics than take lessons from him on resolving farmers’ problems,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said.