'Watchman won't let scamsters go', says PM Narendra Modi

Close on the heels of Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh announced farm loan waivers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the opposition party saying it is simply "befooling" farmers in the name of loan waivers.

Addressing "Jan Abhaar" (gratitude to the people) rally in Dharamshala on the completion of one year of the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government in Himachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister said the Congress government that came to power in 2009 waived loans worth only Rs 60,000 crore after the party had "promised" to write off an amount of Rs 6 lakh crore.

The PM's strong criticism against the Congress over loan waiver issue came following Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that he won't let the PM Modi rest till the Centre writes off farm loans across the country.

PM Modi said, "Chowkidar choro ko chhorne ko taiyar nahi (The watchman is not ready to let scamsters go)." He was apparently referring to Congress president Rahul Gandhi's jibe that the "watchman" had himself turned into a "thief".

The Prime Minister further tore into Congress saying that a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had found that lakhs of people who were not even farmers benefitted from the loan waiver scheme.

"In Punjab, the Congress had made similar promises of waiving farm loans before Assembly elections, but failed to deliver. Same is the case of Congress government in Karnataka," he said.

He said the previous Congress government at the Centre had similarly misled ex-soldiers on 'one rank, one pension".

Listing the achievement of the BJP-led Himachal Pradesh government on the occasion, the Prime Minister 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 are always ready to make supreme sacrifices at the border.

PM Modi also called Himachal Pradesh his home. "Himachal Pradesh is like my home. I worked here for several years," he said.

The Prime Minister lauded the efforts of Himachal Pradesh government initiatives to build 'home stays' venture. He emphasised that like Sikkim, Himachal will also soon be developed into an organic state.

Who Benefitted?

• PM Modi tore into the Congress saying that a report of the CAG had found that lakhs of people who were not even farmers benefitted from the loan waiver scheme. 
• He said the Congress has failed to deliver on its promise to waive farm loan in Punjab, as well as Karnataka. 
• Citing OROP, he said the previous Congress government at Centre also misled ex-soldiers.