Bengaluru: Upset with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy (HDK) for not keeping his promise of a “full waiver,” farmers have now decided to stage a State-wide protest demanding waiver of all loans to the tune of a whopping Rs.1.20 lakh crore.

The first protest by farmers will be held in Bengaluru on July 9 (tomorrow) to press the  government to waive all existing farm loans, irrespective of the amount and size of land holdings.

“With this waiver, Kumaraswamy has only tried to pacify farmers, but who will reimburse the remaining Rs.86,000 crore loans? The State, as well as the Central Governments, has to waive these loans immediately, or else we will be pushed to take up massive protests,” warned Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, President, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS).

“Farmers’ suicides are continuing till date because many of them are not getting the benefits of the waiver. We appeal to Kumaraswamy, B.S. Yeddyurappa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to keep their politics aside and help farmers. Saving them from the vicious cycle of debt is their responsibility,” Chandrashekhar added.