Rahul 'won't let Modi sleep till farm loans are waived'

New Delhi: Buoyant over the announcement of farm loan waivers within a few hours of the new chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh taking charge, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday promised a nationwide farm loan waiver if his party is voted to power in 2019. Stepping up his attack against the Narendra Modi-led BJP government, the Congress chief said that the party would not let Prime Minister Narendra Modi sleep until he waives farm loans in the country.

Adding that the party would take "farmers' voices" to the government, Gandhi said, "The Congress manifesto for 2019 would promise farm loan waiver. We will do it guaranteed 100 per cent if the Modi government doesn't do it by then."

"The victory of Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have proved to be a victory of the people. We have said that the main fight in India is between farmers and the segregated sections on the one hand and rich industrialists on the other. The Prime Minister in the last four years has taken Rs 3.5 lakh crore and has put it in the pockets of a few rich people. The victory in three states is the victory of the marginalised people," Gandhi said while speaking outside the House in Parliament.

"We promised to waive loans in 10 days. In two states, we did it within six hours and we would do it in the third state very soon," he told reporters outside Parliament.

"Modi ji has been prime minister for 4.5 years, but has not waived a single rupee of farmers' loans. I want to tell you that the Congress party and other opposition parties will unite till all farm loans are waived. We will stand up and fight against them, we will not retract a single inch, we will not let him (PM) sleep at night, till the time Indian farmers' loans are waived. See P5