Sharad Pawar slams PM Modi's assurance of doubling farmers' income, claims suicides have doubled

Solapur: NCP (SP) President Sharad Pawar on Sunday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his assurance of doubling the income of farmers, claiming the BJP rule had, in fact, witnessed the doubling of farmer suicides.

Addressing a rally at Barshi town in Maharashtra's Solapur district, Pawar claimed farmers were not getting adequate prices for their produce and had become debt-ridden.

"The Prime Minister had promised to double the income of farmers, but instead, farmer suicides have doubled," he charged.

The NCP (SP) chief said the need of the hour is to change the government in the state and install a regime that protects the interests of farmers, youth and women.

"The BJP governments at the Centre and the state haven't used their power to reduce the hardships of farmers and create employment opportunities for the youth. You will see youth in distress because of the lack of jobs. We have to change the government," the former Union agriculture minister said.

Pawar pointed out that the BJP could not even win 300 seats in the recent Lok Sabha elections despite its slogan "400 paar".

"It could form the government with the help of parties from Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. The need of the hour is to reduce the debt burden on farmers, and hence, loans should be waived," he said, citing that he had done so when he held the charge of the agriculture ministry.