Senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil on Saturday criticised the Maharashtra government over its handling of farmers’ issues, accusing it of ignoring pending demands of cultivators while continuing to spend on what he described as “unnecessary” projects despite the state’s growing debt burden, reported PTI.
Patil’s remarks came a day after several opposition leaders were detained during a protest march held in Mumbai to highlight the demands of farmers from the Konkan region.
Opposition Leaders Detained During Farmers’ Protest In Mumbai
The protest march was organised by farmer leader Raju Shetti along with leaders from multiple opposition parties.
Among those who participated in the demonstration were Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha leader Mahadev Jankar, and Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Vinayak Raut and Arvind Sawant, reported PTI.
The march was stopped by police outside Mantralaya, the Maharashtra state secretariat, following which several leaders and supporters were detained.
The protest was organised to press for various demands related to farmers facing losses due to unseasonal weather and declining market prices.
Jayant Patil Questions Government Spending Priorities
In a statement issued on Saturday, Patil said the state government often cites a lack of funds when it comes to addressing farmers’ concerns and clearing pending demands, reported PTI.
However, he alleged that large-scale spending continues on projects that do not have significant public demand despite Maharashtra’s rising debt burden.
“There is a shortage of funds for several pending demands of farmers. But even though the state is under a mountain of debt, work on many unnecessary projects is being undertaken. This is worrying,” Patil said, reported PTI.
The former state minister questioned the government’s priorities and said financial resources should first be directed towards addressing the problems faced by farmers across Maharashtra.
Mango, Cashew And Onion Farmers Facing Heavy Losses
Patil said farmers cultivating mangoes, cashews and onions have been severely affected due to unseasonal rainfall as well as low market prices, reported PTI.
According to him, growers are facing a double setback as crop damage caused by erratic weather has coincided with prices falling below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in several markets.
He said farmers are struggling to recover production costs despite investing significant time and labour into cultivation.
Farmers Struggling To Receive Fair Prices, Says Patil
Patil said the situation of farmers in Maharashtra has become increasingly difficult and described their condition as “pitiable”, reported PTI.
He said it was a matter of concern that cultivators in an agriculture-dependent economy continue to struggle to secure fair prices for their produce.
The opposition leader also stressed the need for the government to take immediate steps to support affected farmers and address issues related to crop losses, pricing and compensation.
The protest by opposition parties comes amid growing political pressure on the Maharashtra government over farmer-related issues and demands for stronger relief measures in regions impacted by unseasonal rain.
(With inputs from PTI)
