Kolhapur: Congress-NCP should answer who is
responsible for the suicides of farmers in Maharashtra, which
is called the "graveyard" of farmers with highest number of
farmer suicides in the country, former prime minister H D Deve
Gowda said during a rally here on Friday.
Gowda was here to campaign for Republican Left Democratic
Front (RLDF) candidates. He described formation of RLDF as an
important development in Maharashtra.
"After many years backward sections have joined with the
Left and democratic forces in the district. It is true that
coming together of these forces have taken place in the wake
of coming assembly election, still it is of great importance.
It is a desirable combination of the exploited sections of the
society and I am fully convinced that poor and middle class
people will build the nation in future," Gowda said.
He criticised the new economic policy and said that so
called economists should know the ground realities of villages
and farmers. "Congress-NCP alliance and the BJP-Sena alliance,
are not alternative to each other. They pursue and proclaim
the same economic policies which lead to inequality," he said.
The two alliances' model of economic growth has resulted
in widening the gap between rich and the poor, he said.
He said 77 per cent of Indian population can't spend
more than Rs 20 a day and unemployment is growing in the
country. He also criticised the education and health care
programmes being provided to the poor.
The co-operative movement is collapsing due to
privatisation policy of the government and corruption, he
said.
Answering questions on Maharashtra-Karnataka border
issue, Deve Gowda said, "Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue is
now only a political issue. Ordinary Kannadigas are living
peacefully in Maharashtra and so are Marathi people in
Karnataka. No bitterness is there among Kannnadigas and
Marathis. But for political purpose, some people bring this
issue forward repeatedly. The issue is in the Supreme Court
now, so I can't comment more."
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, October 09, 2009, 19:14