Fadnavis accuses MVA govt of betraying farmers, alleges manifesto promise not fulfilled

Addressing a massive dharna at Azad Maidan on Tuesday, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis lambasted the Maha Vikas Aghadi government for betraying the farmers. He contended that the Uddhav Thackeray government had failed to fulfill its promise of giving compensation up to Rs.50,000 per hectare to the farmers. Reminding that NCP, Shiv Sena, and Congress had promised loan waiver to farmers in the Common Minimum Programme, Fadnavis contended that neither of these parties in the ruling coalition had the will to help the farmers. 

Read: BIG: Uddhav Thackeray Announces Farm Loan Waiver, Debts Up To Rs.2 Lakh Within Ambit

Devendra Fadnavis remarked, “Through this dharna, we are doing the work of bolstering the voice of the farmers because there is a government in the state which is not elected by the people. This government began betraying the farmers from day one. Uddhavji, please say whether it was we who announced that Rs.25,000, Rs.50,000 would be given to the affected farmers per hectare? In the CMP of all the three parties, you had mentioned that we will go for a complete farm loan waiver. But in the name of the farm loan waiver, there is an attempt to fool the farmers.” 

Read: Maharashtra: Rift In Maha Vikas Aghadi As Parties Jostle For Credit Over Farm Loan Waiver

Maharashtra government releases the first list of eligible farmers

On December 21, 2019, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced a farm loan waiver scheme in the state. Under the new ‘Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Farmer Loan Waiver Scheme’, the government will waive off the outstanding debts of farmers taken till September 30, 2019, up to Rs.2 lakh. The scheme will commence in March.

However, the opposition walked out of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly despite this announcement as their demand for a complete loan waiver was not met by the government. On Monday, the Maharashtra government released the first list of 15,358 farmers who are eligible under this scheme. This invited the ire of BJP as lakhs of farmers have been affected due to the unseasonal rain. 

Read: Fadnavis Dares CM Uddhav To Probe Him - Not His Projects - Amid No Jalyukt Vihar Renewal

Read: Fadnavis Appreciates Uddhav's Stance On CAA, Bhima Koregaon, Says 'will Felicitate Him'