Chamkaur Sahib (Ropar), November 26
Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh, after a decade’s silence today urged the central and state governments including Punjab, to waive loans of debt-ridden farmers. He said it was not a permanent solution, but seeing conditions of the farmers who had been committing suicides in many states it would be appropriate loans of poor farmers be waived.
He criticised the state government for acquiring agricultural land of farmers for mega projects saying the state governments in many states were buying lands from farmers at a low price. If the farmers continued the sale of land their only means of livelihood, how would they survive, he asked.
He added let the farmers decide about the sale of land and its price the government should not interfere in the process.
Mr V. P. Singh who dominated political scene in 1989 by forming a coalition government at the Centre is again for the formula of coalition politics, said in Uttar Pradesh we have launched a campaign to oust Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The third front including leaders of various political parties Union Ministers Ramvilas Paswan, Lalu Yadav, Left parties, president of the Jan Morcha Raj Babbar, except the Congress, would fight against Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav. Similarly in Punjab, he extended support to the third front in Punjab to contest the Assembly elections against the Akalis and the Congress.
Expressing desire to become the Prime Minister again, he said if he became the Prime Minister again he would formulate a policy
preventing the state government from using agricultural land for mega projects and would waive all loans of poor farmers.He with Steel Minister and president of the Lok Janshakti Party Ramvilas Paswan, film actor-turned politician president of the newly formed Jan Morcha Raj Babbar was here to attend the Virsha Sambhal Sikh Sammelan organised by the Akali Dal (1920) president Ravi Inder Singh and other religious organisations this evening.
Regarding Supreme Court’s decision on keeping out the creamy layer among the SC/ST out of reservation, he said at present in various departments many posts were vacant due to absence of deserving candidates. So it was not appropriate to segregate the creamy among the reserve category at this stage.
Mr Paswan said his ministry was for a policey to give medicines free of charge to poor families in hospitals and bear their expenses of treatment. He said he had already reduced prices of the essential medicines.
He also favoured relaxation in the conditions of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) saying that in different states economic conditions of poor people were different so BPL limits could not be same for every state.
He said the Lok Jan Shakti would support the third front in Punjab after holding a meeting of the leaders of other parties.
The Jan Dal received pledge of support from Railway Minister Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Communist Party of India, the Revolutionary Socialist Party, the Forward Bloc and some smaller parties and social organisations.
While Raj Babbar also extended support to third front in the state including the Akali Dal (1920) in the state and expressed desire to campaign for it in the elections.
