LUCKNOW: The continuing agriculture crisis in the country was a recipe for an economic disaster that would lead to social ruination of rural communities, the Bharatiya Janata Party warned here on Sunday even as it focussed attention on the "rising index of farmers' suicides" along with the spiralling Sensex.

Its economic resolution, adopted on the concluding day of its national council session, demanded "complete waiver of interest amount [on loans] to farmers in all areas affected by repeated crop failures".

Endorsing the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, the BJP urged the Government to narrow the gap between what price the farmer got for his produce and what the consumer paid for it in the cities.

Rising prices, increasing interest rates that have affected housing loans adversely, the agriculture crisis and poor implementation of the rural job guarantee scheme had led to a situation, where the Congress `haath' (hand) was no longer with the `aam admi' (the common man), but with the `khas aadmi' (a few rich people), it alleged.

It demanded widening of the rural employment scheme with an increased allocation of Rs. 20,000 crore, higher interest of 9.5 per cent on Employees Provident Fund and social audit and proper control of the public distribution system. It lamented the fact that reduced prices of crude in the international market and the consequent recent decrease in the price of petroleum products had not led to lowering of prices of essential commodities.

This was "betrayal of the common man" by the Congress.

Describing the United Progressive Alliance as an "anti-people", "anti-employee', "anti-middle class" and "anti-senior citizens" government, the four-page resolution focused on issues related to farmers. It said dependence on food imports was not healthy for Indian agriculture.

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