MUMBAI: Terming the crisis caused by heavy rain and floods in Marathwada in particular and the rest of Maharashtra as “unprecedented”, the Shiv Sena(UBT) on Tuesday asked the MahaYuti government to immediately announce a complete crop loan waiver as promised ahead of the Assembly elections and provide much-needed relief to farmers affected by the natural disaster.
The Thackeray camp in its mouthpiece, 'Saamana', said it is not playing politics over the issue during this critical period, and asked the ruling alliance to refrain from it too.
It argued that there should be no politics in the distribution of government aid, and the government should soon establish all-party committees at the district and taluka levels to see whether the aid is being received in each camp or not.
It would be appropriate to form committees of prominent people from the districts of the major parties in the state and put them to work, and cooperate with the District Collectors and Divisional Commissioners.
The Thackeray camp said the torrential rain and floods have wreaked havoc, and it is time for the government to open its treasury to provide financial assistance to the farmers and other citizens whose lives have been completely devastated.
It took a strong objection from some members of the ruling alliance, questioning what Uddhav Thackeray did for the farmers when he was the Chief Minister. It said, "It seems some alliance leaders may have forgotten that Uddhav Thackeray waived off the loans of farmers in Maharashtra in the very first meeting of the cabinet."
"We are of the opinion that natural disasters should not be politicised. However, some members of the ruling alliance are busy with politics. Besides, some politicians, who are busy making empty promises ... are playing politics over this flood. What are you doing for the flood victims? This is a ridiculous question that some mindless people in the government have asked the opposition. If the opposition is going to help the flood victims, why should those in power warm up their chairs?” asked the Saamana editorial. It pointed out that the workers of the opposition parties are visiting the flood-affected areas and are helping according to their own means.
After the heavy rainfall and floods in Marathwada, the next day, the chief minister visited the affected villages and reviewed the flood situation. “When a distressed farmer asked him, How much compensation per hectare will you give or what will you give immediately?, the Chief Minister lost his temper and got angry at the farmer, asking him, 'Don't do politics'. What kind of politics was there when a flood-affected farmer, who has lost everything, demanded compensation?” asked Thackeray camp. It went on to claim that even expressing one's own grief and injustice has been stolen away.
According to the editorial, more than one crore farmers have been affected by this flood. Farms, houses, and cattle have been washed away. There has been a loss of life. In such a situation, instead of digging into the mud of politics, it is necessary to go to the dam and help the farmers.