<p class="title">Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for criticising the state government's farm loan waiver scheme and called him "anti-farmer".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he questioned Modi's moral right to criticise the state government on the issue.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I had twice led delegations (to Modi) as a chief minister, he did not agree to waive a single rupee. What moral right does he have?" said Siddaramaiah who is also head of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coordination committee in Karnataka.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Alleging that Modi and his government were against the agriculture sector, he questioned their contribution to the farming community.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Ok we have given lollipop, what pop has he given? What has he given?" Siddaramaiah asked.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"What has he and his party governments done in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh until recently, and in Bihar and other states where the BJP is running a coalition government?" he questioned.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Addressing a rally at Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh last week, Modi had said that the Congress promised loan waivers to lakhs of farmers, but the JD(S)-Congress coalition in Karnataka did not deliver.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Lollipops were handed out. The loan waiver was given to only 800 farmers," he had claimed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has also hit out at Modi for terming the state government's <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/pm-s-remark-loan-waiver-710638.html" target="_blank">loan waiver scheme for farmers "one of the cruellest jokes"</a>, accusing him of misleading the country for "political gains".</p>
<p class="title">Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for criticising the state government's farm loan waiver scheme and called him "anti-farmer".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he questioned Modi's moral right to criticise the state government on the issue.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I had twice led delegations (to Modi) as a chief minister, he did not agree to waive a single rupee. What moral right does he have?" said Siddaramaiah who is also head of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coordination committee in Karnataka.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Alleging that Modi and his government were against the agriculture sector, he questioned their contribution to the farming community.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Ok we have given lollipop, what pop has he given? What has he given?" Siddaramaiah asked.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"What has he and his party governments done in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh until recently, and in Bihar and other states where the BJP is running a coalition government?" he questioned.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Addressing a rally at Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh last week, Modi had said that the Congress promised loan waivers to lakhs of farmers, but the JD(S)-Congress coalition in Karnataka did not deliver.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Lollipops were handed out. The loan waiver was given to only 800 farmers," he had claimed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has also hit out at Modi for terming the state government's <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/pm-s-remark-loan-waiver-710638.html" target="_blank">loan waiver scheme for farmers "one of the cruellest jokes"</a>, accusing him of misleading the country for "political gains".</p>