india

Updated: Jul 13, 2019 01:37 IST

The Telugu Desam Party on Friday served a notice for moving a privilege motion against YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in the Assembly, for misleading the House on waiver of interest on crop loans during the Chandrababu Naidu regime between 2014 and 19.

During a discussion on the drought in the state on Thursday, Jagan had alleged that the previous TDP government had not paid a single rupee to farmers towards interest waiver on crop loans repaid to banks on time. He had also accused former CM Naidu of not rescheduling the crop loans on account of drought. He even challenged that he would produce records to that effect.

The opposition leader, however, said the TDP government had indeed reimbursed the interest on crop loans up to Rs 1 lakh to those farmers who had repaid the principal amount on time. He produced the relevant government orders and copies of socio-economic survey reports before the media to prove his point.

On Friday, there was a heated debate in the assembly over the zero-interest crop loans. Equipped with the documents, Naidu alleged that the ruling YSRC members were indulging in mudslinging at the TDP.

He said the zero interest scheme was introduced during the previous Congress party regime in 2012 and it was continued by the TDP government which reimbursed the interest to farmers who had repaid loans on time. “I will leave it to the chief minister whether he should apologise for his baseless allegations or resign from his post,” the opposition leader said.

Jagan, however, strongly rebutted Naidu’s claims. He said the so-called zero interest payment being claimed by Naidu was just a pittance. “Out of the total interest liabilities of Rs 11,600 crore on crop loans, the TDP government had paid only Rs 630 crore in the last five years. But, Naidu is claiming as if the entire debt of farmers had been cleared,” he said.

He reminded the TDP that the people had taught a fitting lesson to Naidu in the recent assembly elections only because of his failure to fulfil his promises.

The TDP chief shot back saying his government had paid over Rs 900 crore in interest to farmers who had availed a loan below one lakh and repaid the principal amount promptly. “Jagan, his ministers and MLAs are trying to terrorise the opposition inside and outside the assembly,” Naidu alleged.