The Modi government should waive loans of farmers to ameliorate their sufferings as it has done for corporates, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury told a peasants' rally at Jantar Mantar here today.
Slamming the Modi government on the demonetisation issue, Yechury said it is saving the "looters" while "punishing" the poor as "more than 74" people have died in queues outside banks and ATMs.
"In the last two years, the government waived loans of Rs 1.2 lakh crore taken by the capitalists but it is reluctant to waive loans of farmers. Loans of farmers should also be waived by the government," he told the rally organised by the All India Kisan Sabha, the peasant wing of CPI(M).
Citing poor condition of the peasantry in the country, he said the Modi government is "making poor people poorer while helping rich to become richer".
"The government says that it has taught lesson to Pakistan but our jawans are being killed on the border. Farmers are committing suicide. Under the Modi government, the rate of farmer suicides has increased by 26 per cent," he said.
Yechury said the opposition parties would continue to corner the government in Parliament on the issue of demonetisation and other anti-farmer and anti-worker policies.
"We will continue cornering the government in Parliament and you will have to do so outside Parliament," he told the farmers.
Citing the problems being faced by farmers due to demonetisation, he said they were being forced to sell their crop at mandis at "lower" prices.
Yechury promised to raise the 15 demands of AIKS in Parliament and demand its fulfillment by the government.
The rally was also addressed by many AIKS leaders including its president Amra Ram, general secretary Hannan Mollah and social activist Medha Patkar.
The AIKS memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister demanded Rs 10 lakh compensation to kin of farmers who had committed suicide, implementation of the 2013 Land Acquisition Act, raise in minimum support price, proper implementation of rural job scheme MGNREGA, and interest-free loans to small and marginal farmers.
Asked how his party could raise the issue if Parliament is
not allowed to function, Yechury preferred to blame the Treasury Bench over disruption of House proceedings.
On demonetisation, the Left leader said the Modi government's decision benefited the card companies and the corporates, not common men.
"There has been a three-fold rise in the use of cards in the monetary transaction. The amount has jumped from Rs 150 crore to Rs 450 crore. The card companies got Rs 12.50 crore at the rate of 2.5 per cent as transaction cost," he said.
He said that demonetisation had not checked black money, terror activities and corruption as claimed by the Prime Minister. Rather, he added, it had helped card companies and corprates. Terror attacks have also increased.
"I understand that the Centre is bringing a bill to make a provision that account holders will get Rs 1 lakh in case of banks collapse," he said adding that the CPI(M) would launch a country-wide campaign on the adverse impact of demonetisation on the youths, farmers, small traders and others.
Yechury claimed that the Centre had waived Rs 1.12 lakh crore in corporate loans in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
