Following the arrest of over 100 farmers in Jalandhar for delay in loan repayment, the opposition leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal has demanded a complete waiver of such loans.

Bhattal said, "It is highly deplorable that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which claims itself as a party supporting farmer rights, instead of helping the peasants has ordered their arrest for the delay in payment of instalments of loans taken from state cooperative banks."

Demanding immediate release of the farmers and complete waiver of such loans, she said that the issue would be raised by the Congress in the upcoming assembly session.

Highlighting the worse financial condition of the farmers, she said that a loan waiver was required.

She also blamed the SAD for not utilising the union government's funds properly as indicated by a Central team that visited Punjab recently.

Congress chief and local MP Mohinder Singh also critized the SAD for failing to pass the 50 percent subsidy on diesel to farmers, as announced by the Centre.