Opposition slams Assam govt for 'U-turn' on loan waiver

GUWAHATI: Opposition parties in Assam have slammed the BJP-led government for its "U-turn" on the terms and conditions to waive microfinance loans which is contrary to promises made during campaign for the assembly polls.
Accusing the BJP of trying to "cheat" the people of Assam, all major political parties in the state including the Congress, AIUDF, Raijor Dal and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) have criticised the statement of state cabinet minister Ashok Singhal's recent statement that "waiver will come with exceptions and it will not be a blanket waiver".
Singhal, who heads a committee to assess the financial involvement arising out of laon waiver by micro-finance institutions, on Friday said the waiver would exclude income tax payee, persons availing multiple loans, person having four wheeler and a person whose annual income is more than one lakh. He also said the loan amount would not be waived if availed after December 31, 2020.
Even women members of the state's self-help groups (SHGs) are unhappy with the loan waiver criteria and criticised the government for the same. Demanding a complete waiver of their loans, they said a large number of women across the state have not been paying the remaining instalments since Febraury.
"The chief minsiter had promised during the election campaign that all the micro finance loans will be waived. So why it is not being done. We have stopped paying instalments ever since. If the government decides to wipe off the loan, why should some of us pay?," said Barnali Kalita, a women of Barpeta district. A large number of women across the state have come out to protest following the statement issued by Singhal. "We will not agree with the terms and conditons. Why were these conditions not set before the polls? We will not pay further instalments at any cost," said a protesting woman.
Leader of the opposition in the state assembly Debabrat Saikia demanded that the state government remove all pre-conditions and waive the loans to give relief to poor women, as it was part of the BJP's poll assurance. "During election campaign, the BJP promised to waive the loans. Now the government says that waiver will come with exceptions. This isa complete U-turn. By including different conditions, the government actually does not want to help the women," he said. AIUDF general secretary and MLA Aminul Islam said the conditions mentioned by Singhal an "act of betraying" the poor people.
"The BJP has started cheap politics in the name of providing relief from microfinance loans. Lakhs of women were waiting for the waiver, but what the party did to them is nothing but a poll gimmick," he added. The BJP leader and (now chief minister) Himanta Biswa Sarma during his poll rallies for the 2021 Assam election had promised to waive of loans. A total amount of Rs 12,500 crore of microfinance loans is currently outstanding in Assam. A total of 26 lakh customers with 45 lakh bank accounts have taken loans from 40 lenders.
AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi said the government must keep its words on the issue. He said all microfinance loans, irrespective of the sum, should be waived.