Chandigarh : , Tuesday, November 30 : .The Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Sing Channi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to accept his proposal to completely waive farmers’ and farm labourers’ debt.
He also stated that the state is ready for the government of India to assume its part of the debt burden. Channi wrote to the Prime Minister highlighting the need to create a Centre-State joint scheme with a suitable ratio spread over a period of time and using proper modalities to address this issue and end the farm labourer and farmer debt once and for all.
In a two-page letter, the Chief Minister stated that “despite the stressed revenues of state government, no sacrifice will be large enough to pay the weight of this moral obligation we owe farmer fraternity.”
Channi demanded the Prime Minister to make the following statement: “We, as stakeholders, are ready to commit ourselves towards any new arrangement that’s decided mutually among all the stakeholders.”
“I know that some people will question you with economic sheets in their hands, but Sir, do not forget that tomorrow when neither myself nor you are present then we will be judged.There will be a reckoning.
It will either come from us and our conscience, or it will come directly from our generations.They will ask the uncomfortable question: What were we doing for those who fed us or for those who fought for independent India’s greatest democratic struggle?
“Let history judge us based on our deeds.That, when the moment of reckoning arrived we did not shudder in fear, but boldly turned to the tide,” the letter states.
Channi reminded Modi of the announcement by him of the annulment of three farm laws.
He said that the farmers and government have moved closer to resolving major pending issues that have been front and center along with the demand for the repeal of three farm laws.
“The issue of agricultural debt is the most important.”
Channi also stated that the leaders of farmers met him in Chandigarh recently with their demands.The only major issue that remained unresolved at his level was the farm debt.
“A shining ray of hope has however shone after the government of India’s change of stance.”
The Chief Minister pointed out that the farmers of Punjab were the ones who took on the challenge of food security and became the bulwark for green revolution.
Channi struck an emotional chord by stating: “When they worked on the soil, their sons protected the sensitive borders with all their lives.
These sons of soil are today’s Indian debtors.
I believe that this great nation, which they served for decades, owes a moral duty to shake off its inertia, and write off all agricultural debt, including farm labour, until date.
“No non-banking institution or banking institution should knock on the doors of our farmers and farm labour to recover agricultural loans.This is the root cause for suicides by farmers and farm labour, and stress in rural economies.”
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