Church lawyers to help debt-ridden farmers

(December 23, 2010) The Church will step up legal training for debt-ridden farmers of Vidharbha region in Maharashtra to help them fight off the forcible recovery of loans, a church official says. “The Church has decided to intensify its legal training to help debt-ridden farmers approach the courts,” said Father Jolly Puthenpura, who works among the debt-ridden farmers. Father Puthenpura said that the Church will also help farmers protect their properties from being forcibly taken away for alleged non-payment of agricultural loan. The Church move came after Bombay High Court in the western Indian state on December 20 sought reports from the state government and others of the loan recovery program. The ruling was made following a plea by a distressed farmer challenging a government bank’s action against him. The court has also given four weeks time to the respondents to file their replies. Recently, the government banks and the state electricity board started forceful recovery of outstanding loans and power tariff, despite government promises to rebuild their lives. Father Puthenpura said that the “mindless” loan recovery will lead to more suicides. Official figures say 4,427 debt-ridden farmers have committed suicide in the past 10 years. However, social activists say that the figure is three times more. The priest said that the court’s direction is a welcome step. “The Church would legally educate as many distressed farmers as possible so that they can move court to get relief,” he added.