West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today hit out at the Centre over the alleged fraud in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) committed by diamond merchant Nirav Modi and blamed it for failing to waive farm loans, which had led to thousands of farmers committing suicide.
At a rally here in South Dinajpur district, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said around 12,000 farmers had committed suicide in the country for failing to repay their loans.
''We had repeatedly advised them (the Centre) to repay the loans on behalf of the farmers. If it was done, the farmers would not have committed suicide. It was very difficult for you (Centre) to give a loan of Rs 50,000 to a farmer, but nothing happens when an individual escapes from the country, taking several thousand crore rupees in the form of loans.
''Around 12,000 farmers in the country have committed suicide on failing to repay bank loans. Suicides have been reported from Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The Centre is saying it will double the farmers' income. How will they do it? There is no planning,'' Banerjee said.
Targeting the BJP, she said the saffron party sought votes from the farmers at the time of elections, but after the polls, ordered attachment of the poor farmers' land if they failed to repay their loans.
''But if a crorepati fails to repay bank loans, no step is taken against him. That party gives them shelter instead,'' she said.
The chief minister also accused the BJP of giving shelter to those allegedly involved in the PNB scam.
She pointed out that in West Bengal, farmers did not have to pay any revenue or mutation fee for their land.
Banerjee had yesterday accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of ''destroying'" the people's trust in the country's banking system.
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