Hingoli, Nov 3 A loan recovery agent of a microfinance firm faced the wrath of locals in a drought-hit village in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district on Tuesday after he was tied up for attempting to collect instalments from women borrowers.
A video of the incident, which occurred in Waghjali village, has gone viral on social media.
Activists from Krantikari Kisan Sanghatan tied the agent’s hands, grilled him about the recovery drive, and contacted senior executives of the microfinance firm over the phone, warning them against sending their personnel to harass farmers.
The recovery agent was eventually allowed to leave.
Talking to reporters, the farmer outfit’s Marathwada unit chief Gajanan Kawarkhe said they questioned the company about why it has continued the loan recovery process despite the state government’s instructions not to put pressure on borrowers during the drought.
The showdown comes after several women from the village recently pasted notices on the walls of their homes, stating they were willing to sell their houses to escape pressure from microfinance lenders.
Kawarkhe warned that the organisation would launch an agitation across the district if microfinance companies continued to send recovery agents to trouble villagers during the ongoing drought season.
The government has declared drought in 304 talukas in the state, and announced an initial relief of Rs 5,000 each for farmers to provide urgent support before Diwali. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last month stated that the District Central Co-operative (DCC) banks and credit societies have been issued strict warnings against coercive loan recovery, harassment, or excessive pressure on farmers.
(PTI News)
