The Peasants and Workers Party of Tamil Nadu has asked the state and central governments to give strict instructions to the bank officials to be polite and follow certain guidelines while collecting loan dues from the farmers, instead of driving them to suicide by harassing them.

While talking to the media, the president of the party, Chellamuthu, said that the incidents of suicides among farmers were increasing all over the country despite elaborate promises by the Narendra Modi government to protect the interests of the farmers.

He was replying to a specific question on the suicide by a 65-year-old farmer yesterday at Karamadai, in the rural limits of Coimbatore, as he was not able to repay the loan amount of Rs.60 lakhs and interests.

Imploring the farmers to not take such extreme steps, which amount to cowardice, Chellamuthu said that bank officials too should show some empathy while seeking the repayment of loan from the farmers.

Farmers were borrowing loans after pledging their documents, with enough security. The rude behaviour and threats from the officials, in collusion with the police force, was pushing the farmers to commit suicide, he said.

About the election promises by various parties ahead of the state assembly polls, Chellamuthu said that the DMK, in its manifesto, has announced the waiver of crop loans, increasing the procurement prices of sugarcane and paddy, and added the farmers will decide after studying the manifestos of other parties.