Mumbai, July 2 The Opposition on Wednesday staged a walk out twice in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly citing the government’s apathy towards farmers, especially amid a record 767 cases of suicides by growers being reported in just three months during January-March this year in the state and the non-payment of promised rates to soybean growers.
Former Leader of Opposition, Vijay Wadettiwar, who had moved a notice under Rule 97 for adjournment on the farmers' suicides cases, stated that the Maharashtra government was not serious despite a record 767 cases of suicides by growers being reported in just three months during January-March this year, of which 200 cases were declared non-eligible for providing compensation to the kin of the deceased.
However, Speaker Rahul Narvekar announced that he had already rejected the notice in his chamber even though the farmers' suicides were a matter of concern.
Wadettiwar, who was allowed to speak, claimed that farmers' suicides in Maharashtra were increasing and they were happening every day.
“A whopping 767 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra between January and March this year. Of these, 200 cases have been declared ineligible for compensation and 194 cases are pending for investigation. On the one hand, the Maharashtra government does not provide any help to farmers who then commit suicide, on the other hand, the government has been spending crores of rupees on infrastructure development,” he said.
Wadettiwar further said, “The Agriculture Minister calls farmers beggars and former Minister Babanrao Lonikar makes objectionable statements against farmers and insults them.
"Farmers are not getting guaranteed prices for their agricultural produce. Soybean farmers and cotton growers have not received money. The Maharashtra government had promised to give one-and-a half times the price to farmers' produce."
"It had announced to waive off loans before the elections, but now the government is dillydallying over its promise. The government has announced to form a committee to look into the loan waiver issue. Why is the government biding time by forming a committee?” he asked.
Wadettiwar said, "The Maharashtra government recently approved Rs 20,000 crore for the Rs 86,300 crore Shaktipeeth Mahamarg, but is there no money for farm loan waiver?"
He reiterated that the condition of farmers in the state is dire. “Unable to afford the cost of hitching an ox to a plough, a 65-year-old farmer from Latur, Ambadas Pawar, hitched himself to a plough instead of a pair of bullocks. Therefore, all business must be put aside and the farmers' problems should be discussed,” he demanded.
Thereafter, Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Bhaskar Jadhav sought the Chair’s permission to take forward the discussion and argued that the farmer suicides were a matter of concern and it is happening when the Monsoon Session is underway and, therefore, the adjournment motion moved by Wadettiwar should be taken up for discussion immediately.
However, the Speaker reiterated that farmers' suicides is a serious issue and he would allocate the full day on Thursday for a discussion on it.
He asked the Opposition to submit a necessary notice. However, the Opposition staged a walk out, accusing the government of being insensitive to the plight of farmers and avoiding a discussion. They protested the government’s neglect and apathy towards farmers.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar countered the Opposition’s charge saying that the Maharashtra government will not run away from the discussion and was ready to do it even today. He claimed that the Opposition was flagging up such issues with a political motive but said that the government was committed to help the farmers.
Earlier, the Opposition comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) expressed serious displeasure over the alleged cheating of soybean producers from Vidarbha region.
Wadettiwar along with NCP (SP) legislators Jayant Patil and Rohit Pawar raised the lapses in the procurement of soybean and payment to the farmers, saying that growers had yet to get the price despite the government’s claim of Direct Benefit Transfer in their bank accounts.
Dissatisfied by the reply given by the minister of marketing Jaikumar Rawal, the Opposition staged a walk out.
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