Puri BJD MP Pinaki Misra on Monday alleged that the BJP is involved in money lending business and providing loans to farmers in the State.
Briefing reporters after calling on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat here, the senior MP said he has received a report on the suicide of a farmer of the Ranpur area under his constituency.
“I had specifically come to meet the Chief Minister in this regard. I requested him to direct the newly-appointed DGP to immediately crack down on private moneylenders who provide loans to farmers at an annual interest rate of 36 per cent. There are about 30 to 40 private moneylenders in Odisha who are close to the BJP. They have huge money and they are forcing hapless farmers to commit suicide. The police should have all this information,” Misra said.
Reacting to Misra’s allegation, BJP leader Pratap Sarangi said BJD leaders have been embarrassed by the rising incidences of farmer suicides and are making such statements.