B R Hills, Karnataka: Hitting out at those who criticised the UPA government's Rs 60,000 crore loan waiver for farmers, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi today said questions were not raised when industrialists defaulted on loans.

Kicking off his four-day tour of Karnataka at B R Hills in Chamarajanagar district, he said, "when one spends one rupee for the poor, everybody asks why we are spending one rupee on the poor, when the same one rupee goes to the non-poor, there is no criticism."

"The issue is not about being pro-poor, the issue is about being fair and I commend the Prime Minister and Congress president for listening to the voice of the poor," he said.

Recalling his recent visit to Orissa, he said, "lot of people ask questions when we do loan waivers as to why we are doing loan waivers, but when large industrialists default on their loans, the same questions are not asked".

Airing his views on the government, he said, "government is about balance, the difference between this government and the last government is the way we view this balance. In this scale, we put some extra efforts on poor side of the balance. The earlier government put that on the other side".

Advocating English language for providing better opportunities to people, he said, "education is fundamental, the only difference between people in India is the way opportunity is given to them".

However, Gandhi did not favour suggestions to extend the loan waiver to cover all farmers.

"When you are making a government policy, you have to take into account financial implications. Idea is not to destroy the system," he said.

If you waive the loan for everybody, then the whole system will collapse, he said.

He recalled his recent visit to a tribal village in Orissa which had a population of 8,500 people, out of which only one person was a graduate.

The village had only one school for 250 students, that too only till fifth standard.

Expressing concern over the situation, he said, "Level of education is not acceptable. Even if you start today, you are 25 years behind".

Gandhi had a traditional breakfast of honey and 'ragi rotti' in the morning at the house of a Soliga tribal here.

Today is the first day of his five-day tour of the state where after B R Hills, he will visit Santhemarahalli, Kavalande, Nanjanagudu, Begur, H D Kote and Nagarhole for a series of interactions with tribals, villagers and party workers.

Rahul is also slated to visit Mangalore, Hubli, Dharwad, Bagalkot and Raichur, among others, where he will also interact with students, fishermen, cotton farmers, tribals and party workers.

Karnataka Youth Congress President Krishna Byregowda said the Congress General Secretary intends to reach out to youth in particular and people in general through interactions "for a deeper understanding of the issues".

Source : PTI