Saying that Badal’s statement yesterday in which he described farmers’ loan waiver as a farce as nothing but “sheer frustration”, Tewari accused the SAD-BJP of spreading lies.

“Badal termed it a partial debt default re-adjustment scheme. Either he has not read the Budget carefully or has not understood it. The SAD should first make its stand clear, whether it is in favour or against this waiver,” he said.

Asking both Badal and Sampat Singh to make their stands clear on whether they actually want the interests of the farmers to be secured or not, Tewari asked, “If they are actually so fond of the poor farmers, whose interest they claim to propagate, how can they find fault with the loan waiver?”

He was interacting with mediapersons at at the Press Club.

“The Union Finance Minister couldn’t have been clearer. I think Badal should first go through the Budget document and then speak on the issue,” he added.

Tewari also added that the government should immediately bring a law to regulate the activities of money-lenders. “Since such a thing is within the purview of the state government, the state government must get a law in this regard passed as has been done by many state governments. If Punjab does not have adequate funds, the UPA government will support it,” he said.

To a question, Tewari said the Budget was not a political Budget and that the UPA government would not seek fresh mandate in October or earlier. “The UPA government has the mandate to govern the country till May next year. The government will certainly complete its term,” he asserted.