Maharashtra: BJP to launch statewide agitation to highlight ‘plight’ of farmers

According to Patil, “BJP workers will hold demonstrations outside banks to demand loan waiver and crop loan for farmers.”

The BJP will launch a statewide agitation along with a signature campaign by farmers from Monday to protest against what it called the government’s failure to provide loan waiver and new crop loan to farmers. The agitation has been titled “Karj mafi kara, peak karj dya”, which means “Give loan waiver and crop loan to farmers”.

“Even after the onset of monsoon and kharif season, the process of loan waiver has come to a complete halt. The Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena coalition government has completely ignored the problems of farmers. The BJP’s statewide agitation will highlight the farmers’ issues,” said state BJP president Chandrakant Patil on Sunday.

“Agriculture work in rural belt has not stopped because of Covid-19. To the contrary, farm activities were ongoing even in the lockdown. Unfortunately, the Maharashtra government has not risen to the challenges like ensuring loan waiver to farmers and new crop loans for kharif season. As kharif sowing begins farmers require seeds and fertilisers, which are not being provided in remote areas,” he said.

According to Patil, “BJP workers will hold demonstrations outside banks to demand loan waiver and crop loan for farmers.” Along with this, the party will launch a signature campaign. A petition signed by lakhs of farmers will be presented to the state government.

“There are lakhs of farmers whose cotton crop remains unsold. The monsoon will destroy the crop. And there are several lakh farmers who were forced to sell the cotton at throwaway price to traders. The cotton procurement centres are not functioning citing Covid-19. Farmers who cultivated tur and channa also suffered setback with no takers. The farmers did not get the minimum support price for their crops,” he said.