In flood-hit Marathwada, Uddhav calls for loan waiver before Diwali or Sena UBT to hit streets

Thackeray accused the Devendra Fadnavis-led government of offering “meagre and insulting” relief. “The government is giving barely Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,000 per hectare. Even clearing the fields would costs double that amount. Is this help or an insult?” he said at a press conference in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Thackeray drew a comparison with Punjab, where the AAP government had announced Rs 50,000 per hectare compensation in similar circumstances. “If Punjab can do it, why can’t Maharashtra?” he asked.

Earlier in the day, Thackeray began his tour at Katgaon in Latur district before moving to Dharashiv’s Itkur village, where he interacted with farmers who said livestock and fields had been washed away. Villagers also informed him that three farmers from nearby areas had recently died by suicide after suffering heavy losses. One cultivator, the villagers said, had debts of nearly Rs 20 lakh.

Appealing to farmers not to take extreme steps, Thackeray folded his hands and said, “I beg you, do not commit suicide. We have to face this crisis together. We are with you. If banks are harassing you for recovery, file complaints. Write to the Chief Minister, but do not lose hope.” He demanded that farmers’ 7/12 land records be cleared of debt and that compensation of Rs 30,000–50,000 per hectare be provided immediately.

Taking aim at Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Thackeray criticised the Rs 45,000 crore Ladki Bahin scheme. “Will Rs 1,500 in a woman’s account rebuild her home or send her children back to school after everything has been washed away? This is arrogance of power,” he alleged.

He also called the crop insurance scheme a “scam” and asked farmers to collect all bank notices and deposit them at Shiv Sena offices. “We will decide the next course of action,” he said.

Hitting out at Chief Minister Fadnavis for saying relief would come “at the right time”, Thackeray remarked, “Will you look into the Panchang to decide the right time? Will you wait for an auspicious date? Farmers are dying today. They need help now.”

Demanding that the Centre declare the floods in Marathwada a national calamity, he also sought funds from the PM CARES corpus. “During Covid, thousands of crores were collected. If that fund cannot be used to save farmers now, then when will it be used? Who exactly does it care for?” he asked.