Father of Green Revolution MS Swaminathan: Loan waiver is short-term relief for farmers

Two days after five of them were killed by police, as enraged peasants in Madhya Pradesh continued to indulge in violence on Thursday, father of Green Revolution MS Swaminathan today talked about farming sector and loan wavier.

He said,"Loan wavier is very temporary short term problem to help farmers to get back to agriculture. Otherwise they will not get loan and will not be able to purchase inputs."

He also said that farming has always been a very risky profession and is one the riskiest professions in the world.

Earlier in the day, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who was arrested today on his way to violence-hit Mandsaur, was released on bail later on in the day. He agreed to take bail after the administration allowed him to meet the agitating farmers at the Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan border.

Along with around 250 Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi was released and went at the MP-Rajasthan border to meet kin of farmers who died in police firing during clashes.