In a sharp attack on the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in the Assembly House, Opposition members from Congress and NCP accused the government of favouring traders and ignoring farmers.
In a sharp attack on the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in the Assembly House, Opposition members from Congress and NCP accused the government of favouring traders and ignoring farmers. Terming the government “shameless”, Senior NCP member, Ajit Pawar, demanded that farmers’ loans as well as electricity bills be completely waived and widows of farmers who had committed suicide be given Rs 3000 as pension.
Mr Pawar, who helmed the finance portfolio during the Congress-NCP regime, said that when they were in power, there was coordination between ministers and officers, including bureaucrats. “We had the guts to take a decision in favour of farmers facing drought. None of the officers dared to disobey the government’s orders. However, in the BJP-Sena government, officers do not follow ministers’ orders. Worse still, the CM complains that officers do not obey his orders,” said Mr Pawar.
Mr Pawar said that the state should be ashamed if it does not have control over the administration. Mr Pawar even suggested that the government take decisions with confidence and if there were minor mistakes while implementing schemes, they would not oppose the same. He pointed out how students from Marathwada were worried about their education as the state had not fulfilled its assurance to exempt them from educational fees. Holding up the five-page form required to be filled to get permission to start water tankers in villages, Mr Pawar, brought it to the notice of the house that it was difficult to comply with all conditions while filling up this form. He made an appeal for an easier system and asked relief and rehabilitation minister Eknath Khadse, who was present in the house, whether he was waiting for a few more deaths in drought-prone areas to bring in the water tankers.
Mr Pawar hit out at school education minister Vinod Tawde for the incident where protesters were beaten up by his personal assistant. “You are not in the Opposition, you are in the ruling party and you have to behave in a calm and polite manner. This is March and till May, people’s anger will reach a peak and they can attack the Opposition too,” he said.
NCP’s Jayant Patil said complete waiver of farmers’ loans was the only way to bring down the number of farmer suicides. He said it would help reduce suicides by half.
