Congress misleading farmers in the name of loan waiver: PM Modi

Modi was addressing a 'Jan Abhaar' rally in Dharmshala to celebrate one year of the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government in Himachal Pradesh.

PM Modi in Himachal Pradesh/ Image: ANI

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an attack at the Congress party on Thursday from Himachal Pradesh’s Dharmshala, alleging the grand old party of misleading the farmers in the name of loan-waiver. PM’s criticism comes days after Congress President Rahul Gandhi said that his party will not let the PM “sleep” till the Centre waives off farm loans across the country. Taking a dig at this, PM said the fact that “chowkidaar” is not ready to rest, has led to unrest among the opposition parties. The recently elected Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, where the party had campaigned vociferously taking up the issues of farmers, have announced farm-loan waiver schemes as the step after coming to power. Modi was addressing a 'Jan Abhaar' rally in Dharmshala to celebrate one year of the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government in Himachal Pradesh. He said the state was like home and he had learnt a lot while travelling through it. Hailing the work done by the BJP government in the state, he said development projects worth Rs 26,000 crore were under way in various sectors in Himachal Pradesh. He described Himachal Pradesh as the land of brave soldiers who were ever ready to make the supreme sacrifice at the border. "For forty years, our ex-servicemen asked for 'One Rank, One Pension'. The previous government allocated just Rs. 500 crore for it. But when we came to power, we implemented OROP and ensured welfare of our ex-servicemen," PM said of the OROP scheme. Congratulating Thakur on completing one year as chief minister, Modi said, "Himachal Pradesh is like my home. I worked here for several years for the party's organisational work." The prime minister will release a booklet on the achievements of the BJP government. Modi went through an exhibition put up by the state government to showcase benefits of state and centre sponsored schemes for the general public. The prime minister was welcomed by the chief minister, former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, Kangra BJP MP Shanta Kumar and Union Health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda when he reached the helipad in Dharamshala.