Farmers Movement Archive

BJP blames state govt for inadequate compensation to farmers

Nagpur: Blaming the state government for providing “inadequate” compensation to farmers whose crops got destroyed due to natural disasters, the BJP today said it was being done to benefit crop insurance companies. BJP’s Pradesh Kissan Morcha mahamantri Anandraro Raut said farmers were denied their rights, only to ensure maximum profit for crop insurance companies. “In Maharashtra, we have seen crops being destroyed due to natural disasters, and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has rubbed salt in our farmers’ wounds by announcing the lowest possible compensation package,” he said. Raut, who was accompanied at the press conference by BJP’s Nagpur rural chief Arvind Gajbhiye, said insurance companies are reaping bumper profits. “Just last year, they made a profit of over Rs4,000 crore. Very few farmers are able to get the benefit which is actually due to them. Apart from this, the loan waiver package too is inadequate. Only Rs150 crore provision has been made,” said Raut. He added, “Before coming to power, both Uddhav Thackeray and Ajit Pawar would demand high compensation for farmers, but now when they have got the chance to do it, we see a different result.” Raut said this “exposes their dual-faced policy”. “In Marathwada, Vidarbha and western Maharashtra around 50 lakh hectares of crop has been destroyed. Shiv Sena, which was at the forefront for calling a bandh for Uttar Pradesh farmers, has failed to do anything for its own people,” said the BJP member. Raut went on to allege that due to the MVA’s “profiteering”, farmers in Maharashtra were being forced to die by suicide. A Congress leader who did not wish to be named said, “These are baseless allegations and the crux of the matter is that BJP is trying to divert attention from the farm laws debacle. They have been defeated by honest farmers and now want to raise their popularity in the farming community. So what better way to do this than to blame the Maharashtra government.”

The Times of India

2021-11-22

Nagpur