NCP president Sharad Pawar hit out at the ruling BJP over farm loan waiver issue, saying not keeping promises was the ruling party’s speciality.
“Not fulfilling promises made to the people is BJP’s speciality,” Pawar said, addressing a rally organised by opposition parties at Panvel.
The rally marked conclusion of week-long ‘Sangharsh Yatra’ of opposition, seeking loan waiver for farmers in Maharashtra.
The saffron party didn’t give reservation to the Dhangar community which it had promised, nor did it keep the promise of loan waiver to farmers, he said.
Response to the state-wide Sangharsh Yatra was good and it reminded him of farmers’ agitation in 1982, Pawar said.
State Congress chief Ashok Chavan said the Yatra was the beginning of a united agitation against the BJP government. “It will intensify in the days to come,” he said.
A farmer committed suicide even as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited Chandrapur, he said.
“His body was hanging from a tree for eight hours. I condemn this insensitive government,” Chavan said, claiming that Maharashtra led in the number of farmer suicides in the country.
Tamil Nadu High Court had ordered the government there to waive farm loans, Chavan pointed out. When he asked a question about farmer suicides in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha, the Union Agriculture Minister said all was well in the state, he alleged.
Narayan Rane, fellow Congress leader, said the Fadnavis government suspended opposition MLAs from the Assembly for creating a ruckus, but when Fadnavis was in the opposition, he used to demand registration of murder cases against the government for farmer suicides.
“When will he file 9,000 criminal cases for the suicides that have taken place since he became the CM,” Rane asked.
State NCP president Sunil Tatkare said the agitation will continue. “The government will have to agree to loan waiver or quit,” he said.
