Maharashtra Winter Session: Oppn leaders stage protest demanding agricultural support for farmers

Screengrab of video/ ANI

The opposition, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders protested at the Vidhan Bhavan on the first day of the Winter Session, advocating for a farm loan waiver, bonus for paddy crops, and increased minimum support prices (MSP) for cotton and soybean.

The MVA--comprising of Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and Congress--leaders, wearing orange and cotton garlands, chanted anti-government slogans, demanding immediate relief for farmers, including loan waivers, a Rs 1,000 bonus on paddy crops, and MSPs of Rs 14,000 and Rs 18,000 for cotton and soybean, respectively, stated the report in PTI.

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Vijay Wadettiwar, the leader of the opposition in the assembly, emphasised the impact of unseasonal rains on farmers and the importance of proper MSP for cotton and soyabean. He advocated for concrete actions rather than government announcements, stated the report in PTI.

"The government is doing only 'panchnamas' (survey) and making announcements. We want funds in farmers' accounts and no announcements," Wadettiwar told PTI.

According to the report, Ambadas Danve, Nana Patole, Jayant Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Ashok Chavan, and Balasaheb Thorat joined the demonstration. Reportedly, Danve said that farmers were severely impacted due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms. He demanded a loan waiver for them.

In addition, dressed as a doctor, Congress MLA Ravindra Dhangekar demanded action against ministers allegedly linked to drug lord Lalit Patil and the arrest of a former hospital dean involved in a drug case. Dr Pravin Devkate, the hospital's medical officer, was arrested in connection with the case by Pune police.

The PTI report stated that Dhangekar sought the arrest of Sanjiv Thakur, former dean of Pune's Sassoon Hospital, as well.

Patil escaped from the hospital on October 2 when he was being taken for X-ray imaging. After he fled, nine police personnel were suspended and a manhunt was launched following which he was arrested from a Bengaluru hotel.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole alleged that the government is not keen to face questions concerning farmers after an adjournment motion by his party colleague and leader of opposition in assembly Vijay Wadettiwar was rejected. The adjournment motion, according to PTI report, is moved to discuss a "definite matter of public importance".

With PTI inputs