3 min readNagpurDec 6, 2023 08:26 PM IST
First published on: Dec 6, 2023 at 08:09 PM IST
Alleging that the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde led government has failed to tackle the agrarian distress, increasing number of crimes and riots, Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising NCP (Shard Pawar faction), the Congress and Sena (UBT) boycotted the customary tea party organised by the ruling alliance on the eve of the commencement of the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature in Nagpur.
Vijay Wadettiwar, the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, slammed the government over increasing crime rate and instances of riots in the state by citing the latest National Crime Records Bureau Data which was published earlier this week.
Wadettiwar claimed that as per the NCRB report, 22,746 farmers have died by suicide in the state because of indebtedness and the agrarian crisis caused due to drought and unseasonal rains and hail storm.
He added that there is no check on the rampant drug supply in the state and that the NCRB figures also indicate that 8,218 cases of rioting were reported in the state (in 2022).
“In such a scenario, will fresh investment come to our state?,” he questioned.
Wadettiwar said that the government has failed to tackle the agrarian distress in the state and farmers are facing unprecedented crisis and hence at this juncture the MVA does not feel it appropriate to attend the tea party.
“As the son of Vidarbha, I will give justice to all your questions when the session is being held in Vidarbha. I will try to address the problems of women and common people during the session. We expect the farmers to get their rights, to improve the broken law and order situation in the state, to discuss the issue of reservation… We had received the invitation for the state government’s tea party but it is not appropriate for us to attend it when the state is facing so big issues and hence we have decided to boycott it,” the Congress leader who hails from Vidarbha region said.
He further slammed the government over organising the Shasan Aaplya Dari (government at your door steps) initiative stating that at a time when the farmers and people of the state are suffering, the government is busy in organising events, branding, advertising and spending crores of rupees for it.
“Maharashtra has the highest number of farmer suicides. Poverty, unemployment has made it difficult to live in the state. When farmers in Maharashtra are committing suicide, the government is seen organising Shasan Aplya Dari,” Wadettiwar said.
He alleged that the state government has not even paid Rs 50,000 financial assistance to every farmer who suffered crop loss last year.
“The way this government announced drought in 40 tehsils raises suspicion that the move is politically motivated. These tehsils are seemingly selected considering certain politicians,” he added.
Earlier in the day, opposition parties held a meeting in Nagpur to discuss the agenda for the winter session, likely to be dominated by issues such as the Maratha reservation demand and crop loss among others, in the next ten days.
Vijay Wadettiwar claimed that as per the NCRB report, 22,746 farmers have died by suicide in the state because of indebtedness and the agrarian crisis caused due to drought and unseasonal rains and hail storm. (Twitter/@VijayWadettiwar) 
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