NCP (SP) President Sharad Pawar has once again made a significant statement on politics and farmers' issues in Maharashtra. He accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of being negligent towards the plight of farmers and issued a warning to the government.
Mumbai: NCP (SP) President Sharad Pawar has accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of negligence towards the plight of farmers. Pawar warned on Monday (September 15) that the opposition would intensify its protests to draw the government's attention to the agricultural crisis. In this context, he led an 'Aakrosh Morcha' (Protest March) organized by his party in Nashik, highlighting the farmers' difficulties and their demands.
Aakrosh Morcha: Protest in Support of Farmers
Pawar protested alongside his party leaders and workers in an open jeep in Nashik. During this, NCP (SP) demanded that the government declare the affected areas as drought-hit and ensure complete loan waiver for farmers. Supriya Sule, the party's working president and Lok Sabha member, stated that if the government does not announce a loan waiver within a month, their party will disrupt the tours of ministers in the state.
During the rally, Pawar said, "We have seen posters of Devbhau (Devendra Fadnavis) in the media, where he is seen joining hands before Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Fadnavis should follow the path of that great warrior king who ensured that farmers faced no trouble." He further warned, "This protest is just the beginning."
Pawar added, "Devbhau, look around and see what is happening. People in Nepal have overthrown a government that failed to meet their aspirations."
Highlighting Farmers' Difficulties
Pawar stated that the Maharashtra government is indifferent to the problems of farmers. He claimed that farmers are not receiving adequate prices for their crops, and there are many restrictions on exports. He emphasized that debt is the biggest problem facing farmers and it must be resolved immediately. Pawar warned, "If the government continues to turn a blind eye, suicides, which are in the thousands, could reach lakhs, and we cannot remain silent spectators."
During the protest, NCP (SP) also demanded fair Minimum Support Price (MSP) for onions, grapes, and other crops. Party General Secretary Rohit Pawar said, "Maharashtra has contributed two lakh crore rupees to the national treasury as GST in the last eight years. Why can't the government provide ₹35,000 crore for loan waiver?"
Supriya Sule's Allegations
Supriya Sule made serious allegations against the government, stating that the UPA government led by then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had provided farmers with a loan waiver of ₹70,000 crore. She said that the government provided funds to women under the 'Ladki Bahin Yojana,' but 25 lakh women's names were removed in the very first phase of review. Sule warned that this would not be tolerated and a public movement would be launched in this matter.
Sule also alleged that the names of 65,000 farmers were removed from the list of the Nashik District Central Cooperative (NDCC) Bank, while new names were added. She said that NCP (SP) will demand a thorough investigation into this matter.
