Opposition slams exploitation of farmer’s wife

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan on Saturday condemned the incident where a bank branch manager in Buldhana district allegedly demanded sexual favours from a farmer’s wife in return for clearing a crop loan.

Mr Chavan called it a shame and a blot on a progressive state like Maharashtra. Rajesh Hivase, bank manager with the Central Bank of India in Buldhana, was booked immediately after the woman, who had applied for a crop loan at the bank at Datala village in Malkapur tehsil, filed a complaint.

The incident happened on Thursday when a farmer went with his wife to a branch of the bank in Malkapur tehsil and applied for a crop loan. When Hiwase asked the farmer for a contact number, he gave his wife’s number thinking it was for official purposes. But then Hiwase allegedly called her up, demanding sexual favours and also sent a message via peon Manoj Chavan, repeating his demands. Enraged by this, she recorded the call and filed a complaint at Malkapur rural police station. The police has arrested both Hiwase and Chavan.

Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana workers protested in front of several Central Bank of India branches across the state, and its state president Ravikant Tupkar has demanded the suspension of Hiwase and Chavan.

The Congress leader slammed the government over this incident. “Instead of receiving crop loans, farmers have to face such shameful incidents. Both employees must be punished so that no one ever dares to repeat such an act,” he said.

Opposition leader Dhananjay Munde said the incident proved that the current government was “no Ram Rajya”. “The out-of-control bureaucracy is looting and harassing the common people of the state. Strict action must be taken against the accused. Also, this case shows the farmers’ struggle to get crop loans,” he said.