The Karnataka chief minister also hit out at the BJP, claiming that the party is "anti-farmer".
Fending off the BJP's attacks over one of his ministers allegedly claiming that farmers wish for droughts so that they can get loan waivers, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the remark was made in jest and that the minister could not have possibly had any ill-intention as he hails from a farming family himself.
The chief minister hit out at the BJP, claiming that the party is "anti-farmer", but also appeared to caution members of his government against making "casual remarks" that could be perceived as disrespectful.
The man at the centre of the row, Sugarcane Development Minister Shivananand Patil, has sparked controversies in the past as well, including when he had said in September that farmer suicides had gone up in Karnataka after the state government had hiked compensation.
Earlier this week, Mr Patil had said, "Krishna (river) water is free, electricity is also free. Several Chief Ministers have given free seeds and manure. The farmers have only one wish - there should be a drought year after year so that their loans get waived."
The BJP has used the statement to attack the Siddaramaiah government, claiming that the cabinet is "full of fools". It has also said that the "anti-farmer government" is mocking and humiliating farmers.
Defence
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday, the chief minister said, "Agriculture Minister Shivanand Patil, who hails from a farming family, surely cannot have the intention to insult farmers. He has made some remarks in jest with the farmers around him. However, when applied to the entire farming community, these can be taken out of context and become offensive. This is unacceptable."
In remarks that appeared to be aimed at Mr Patil and others in his government, the Congress leader said it is crucial to speak respectfully about farmers, who are food providers. "We must avoid making casual comments that could be perceived as disrespectful. Adhering strictly to this code of conduct is a responsibility for all," he emphasised.
Strangling Farmers
The remainder of Mr Siddaramaiah's post was devoted to attacking the BJP and its government at the Centre for "strangling farmers", as well as highlighting his own government's pro-farmer schemes.
"BJP leaders, who have not done anything for the welfare of farmers and are fundamentally anti-farmer, are waiting for opportunities like this to create controversy over Shivanand Patil's statements. When farmers asked for seeds and fertilisers, they were shot dead; when they asked for loan waivers, the BJP leaders sarcastically remarked that they don't have a note-printing machine. Given this backdrop, how can BJP leaders justifiably criticise the Congress party on moral grounds," the chief minister asked.
Pointing to the now-withdrawn farm laws, he added, "While farmers across the country are demanding loan waivers from nationalised banks, the BJP-led Union Government has been strangling farmers with oppressive farm laws. The entire country has seen the efforts they have made to implement these laws. Farmers have recognised the BJP's scheme to hand over the farming sector to corporate giants. In their efforts to disguise their anti-farmer policies, BJP leaders frequently engage in misleading rhetoric.
Mr Siddaramaiah went on to highlight his government's schemes for farmers and said "our love and respect for farmers is evident".
"Even when the Union Government did not provide adequate relief for the drought-affected farmers in the state, we have given Rs 2,000 to each farming family. We have decided to waive the interest on medium and long-term loans taken from cooperative banks. We have launched the Krishi Bhagya Scheme in 106 taluks across 24 districts of the state at a cost of Rs 100 crore," he said.
Cash Shower
Apart from his remarks on farmers, Shivanand Patil had also made headlines in October, when he was caught on camera sitting on a sofa surrounded by currency notes - including some on his feet - as people around him continued to throw money in the air.
The BJP and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi had attacked the minister and the Congress and accused them of running a "collection business".