Some parties doing 'drama' over farmers' protest: Fadnavis

Nagpur: Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Monday alleged that some political parties were doing "drama" and spreading wrong information over the issue on farmers' protest against the Centre's three new farm laws. His remarks came in the wake of a rally organised by farmers in Mumbai which has been supported by the NCP and Congress in Maharashtra. Talking to reporters here, Fadnavis, who is the leader of opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, claimed that it was the previous Congress-NCP government which allowed contract farming and direct purchase of farm products. He said so much time has passed since the farm bills were passed (by the BJP-led central government last year) and Maharashtra did not witness any protest against it.

"Some political parties are now purposely doing drama and misleading farmers by spreading wrong information," the former state chief minister alleged. "I have a question for the parties supporting these morchas that why the Congress in its 2019 election manifesto said it would suspend market committees if it comes to power? "The Congress and NCP should answer why they had approved the Contract Farming Act in 2006. They are ok with this Act in Maharashtra, but they do not want it at the Centre. Why this drama?" Fadnavis asked. He claimed 29 licences for direct purchase (of farmers' produce) were issued during the previous Congress-NCP regime. "It was the Congress-NCP government which started giving licences to corporates to purchase outside market committees in Maharashtra. The current central government is not doing it," he said.

"This is all drama and it has no support of farmers. On the contrary, the ShetkariSanghatna (led by late Sharad Joshi) has welcomed all the three farm laws," he said. Meanwhile, Fadnavis along with several BJP workers staged a demonstration in Bhandara over various issues. Before the agitation, he told reporters here that they were protesting against the state government's "insensitivity" over the fire tragedy in the Bhandara general hospital in which 10 newborn babies died earlier this month. He also alleged that a "huge corruption" has taken place in the purchase of paddy in Bhandara.