MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar stirred a controversy by questioning why farmers need everything free of cost and their continuous demand for loan waiver. He said this habit of demanding loan waiver is not good at all.
Speaking at a rally, DCM Ajit Pawar asked why farmers are always demanding a farm loan waiver. He said farm loans were waived off during former Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's time, and then by the state governments led by Devendra Fadnavis and Uddhav Thackeray. He added that farm loan waiver is not a thing that should be done often.
"The state government gives the crop loan at zero interest rate, still farmers demand loan waiver. This is not a good habit at all. We wanted to get elected and come into power, therefore we promised farm loan waiver in 2024 Maharashtra state assembly elections. Now, farmers are demanding farm loan waiver but this decision is not easy because it takes thousands of crores to execute it," Pawar said, slamming farmers' community.
This is not the first time Pawar has landed in controversy. In 2013, during an acute water shortage in Maharashtra, Pawar had stirred a controversy when he asked if he should urinate into a dam when there is no water.
Pawar's recent statement casts a shadow over Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' promise to execute farm loan waiver by the end of June next year.
Opposition slammed Ajit Pawar, saying the farm loan demand was not made by the people but MahaYuti had given the promise during the state polls campaign. “MahaYuti is in power and now they are deviating from it. This also shows how this incumbent government is insensitive towards the farmers' demands. Farmers are in trouble, therefore they are demanding farm loan waiver. And they are also reminding MahaYuti of their given promise in election manifesto. If this government is unable to do farm loan waiver, then they should step down. They do not have any moral right to remain in power if they cannot fulfil the given words,” said Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal.
Vijay Jawandia, a farmer leader, said that farmers do not need a farm loan waiver if the government ensures adequate and fair prices to their crops. He said cotton and soyabean are sold below minimum support prices, while the government has increased fertiliser and chemical prices.
"The input cost in agriculture has increased by many fold but not the farmers' produce prices. Today, cotton was sold at rate of Rs 6,500 to Rs 7,000 per quintal, this was rate 15 to 20 years ago. Cotton should have sold at minimum Rs 10,000 to Rs 15000 per quintal. One hand farmers will raise the loan and spend huge on agricultural but other hand, when it comes to buying his produce at fair rate, then Government refuses, then how farmers will survive? That will lead more farmer suicides in coming days. In such situations, farm loan waiver at least works as some relief and balm. Now, government does not want to do this also, it means farmers are left in lurch and god mercy,” Jawandia said.
