Different replies given by the government on the issue of displaying photographs of defaulting farmers on the notice boards of public sector banks in Humnabad taluk of Bidar district, piqued members of the Opposition in the Council on Friday.
In a reply to Raghunath Rao Malkapure (BJP), Home Minister K.J. George said the government had directed the police to register cases against bank officials concerned.
Minister of State for Agriculture Krishna Byre Gowda said the government would take every possible step to protect the interests of farmers.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, however, said officials of the Karnataka Bank of Chitaguppa branch in Humnabad had filed criminal cases against 47 farmers, who were found guilty of taking loans against forged revenue records.
Similar incidents of producing duplicate encumbrance certificates to raise crop loans were also attempted in several branches of the State Bank of Hyderabad in Bidar district, Mr. Siddaramaiah added.
Upset with the reply, members blamed the middlemen for luring farmers to take loans using forged documents.
