Big B pays off 4 crore loan of farmers

CHENNAI: Actor Amitabh Bachchan was hailed as the star of farmers of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday as he paid off their loans worth over Rs 4.05 crore.

Farmers have been hit hard by a drop in commodity prices, stagnant wages, record fuel prices and high fertiliser costs, sparking rallies across the country this year calling for better prices for produce and loan waivers.


“It is a very big problem that has left farmers across the country in dire straits,” said Rakesh Tikait, spokesperson of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Indian Farmers’ Union).

“The government policies are flawed and need an overhaul. We are fighting for that change but are thankful for any help that comes along the way,” he added.

Tikait said Bachchan’s gesture might have been symbolic but it meant a lot for farmers who were struggling to survive.

More than 12,600 farmers and agricultural workers committed suicide in 2015 alone, accounting for about 10 percent of all suicides in India, with almost 60 percent of suicides caused by bankruptcy and indebtedness, according to official data.

Bachchan wrote in his blog he felt a “sense of accomplishment” after helping the farmers.“Gratitude leans across to the desire of removing some of the burdens that farmers continue to suffer ... and the inner peace it generates when the desired is completed,” he wrote.