Many farmers had hoped that their crop loans from nationalised banks would be waived, but they are disappointed.

Bengaluru: Over 250 farmers have committed suicide in Karnataka after Congress- cccc (Secular) coalition government headed by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy came to power in June this year.

What is more, there have been more suicides in South Karnataka than in Hyderabad and Mumbai- Karnataka. Sources in the agriculture department, however, say it is difficult to say at the moment whether they are related to the delay in farm loan waiver or other reasons. v

The JD(S) had during its pre-assembly poll rallies made farmers' suicides during the five year tenure of the Siddaramaiah government one of its main poll planks and had promised to waive all farm loans within 24 hours of coming to power.

Although it has now come to power with the support of the Congress, nationalised banks have still not waived farm loans and the Chief Minister has accused them of non-cooperation in the matter. “Farmers would have respected Mr Kumaraswamy had he to stuck to his promise of waiving loan taken from nationalised banks. But he is lying every day to escape the wrath of the opposition parties,” charges Mr Kurubur Shanthkumar, president of the Karnataka Sugarcane Growers' Association.

Blaming some of the suicides on the government’s failure to write off loans, he says its failure to send a letter of commitment to banks on the waiver had led to recovery notices being issued to them.

“No bank will act on oral directions from the government. Many farmers had hoped that their crop loans from nationalised banks would be waived, but they are disappointed. Unless the government does something immediately, the trend of suicides will not stop,” he warns.