Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 27: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray has called on the Maharashtra government to urgently announce a complete farm loan waiver and provide financial assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare to farmers whose livelihoods have been devastated by floods and relentless rains in Marathwada and other regions of the state.
Speaking at a press conference in Mumbai, Thackeray made an emotional appeal to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying, “I request the Chief Minister with folded hands on behalf of the farmers — make them debt-free and offer timely assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare. Also, immediately stop banks from sending recovery notices to these farmers.”
Thackeray criticised the state’s delayed and inadequate response, pointing out that the current compensation of Rs 7,000–8,000 per hectare is grossly insufficient. He warned that unless substantial and time-bound help is extended, farmers will not be able to recover for at least two to three years, especially with repeated crop damage and mounting debt.
He accused the BJP-led MahaYuti government of failing to deliver on past promises, stating that the Rs 14,000 crore in aid announced over the last few years has not reached farmers, and the 2017 loan waiver scheme remained largely unfulfilled. He urged the state to take a cue from Punjab, which has announced significant per-hectare support for its farmers.
Thackeray also recalled that during his tenure as Chief Minister, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government implemented a farm loan waiver shortly after taking office in 2019, demonstrating what he called a "crisis-ready approach" to governance. “If seeking justice for farmers is considered politics, then so be it,” he added.
Sharing a heartbreaking account from a recent visit to Marathwada, Thackeray spoke of a 31-year-old farmer who died by suicide, leaving behind a 15-day-old infant and a debt of Rs 2 lac. “There are reports of suicides every day. This is not just a rural issue—it’s a humanitarian crisis,” he said.
He also took aim at CM Fadnavis for allegedly dismissing a farmer’s plea for relief during a visit to a village. Thackeray claimed the CM told the farmer, “Don’t do politics,” after which the man was reportedly harassed by the police. “What kind of democracy is this? You chase a desperate farmer instead of helping him?” he asked.
With continuous rainfall, widespread crop destruction, and rising frustration among farmers, Thackeray warned that anger is deepening in rural Maharashtra. “The crops are gone, the debts are piling up, and there’s no guaranteed price for what little produce remains. Farmers are crying out for survival. The government must act now.”