Government's relief package for rain-hit farmers 'biggest joke in history': Uddhav Thackeray
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday termed the relief package announced by the Maharashtra government for the farmers hit by rains and floods the "biggest joke in history," and demanded a loan waiver for them.
Speaking at a rally in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city, the former chief minister said farmers will take to the streets if the Devendra Fadnavis-led government failed to declare a "complete loan waiver" for farmers.
Reacting to Thackeray's tirade, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde accused him of shedding crocodile tears.
Before the rally, Thackeray walked in a protest march organised by his party from Kranti Chowk to Gulmandi.
In a news conference later, he said farmers were unable to repay crop loans. They were burdened with the loans from the last season, and had the harvest been good this season, they could have repaid the loans and applied for fresh credit, he said.
"The financial assistance announced by the Maharashtra government for farmers is the biggest joke in history," he said.
The government must take responsibility of farmers like parents take responsibility of their wards, the Sena (UBT) chief added.
Soil in the fields has been literally scraped away due to floodwaters in the Marathwada region, and it is necessary to restore farm lands before the Rabi season crops are sown, he said.
The government must disburse Rs 1 lakh out of the Rs 3 lakh aid announced for this purpose immediately, Thackeray demanded.
The districts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Nanded, Beed, Dharashiv, Latur, Parbhani and Hingoli in Marathwada witnessed devastating floods last month.
Earlier this week, the state government announced a compensation package of Rs 31,628 crore, assuring a total assistance of Rs 48,000 per hectare. Chief Minister Fadnavis stated that the government would announce a loan waiver in due course.
Thackeray claimed that as per the analysis conducted by some farm experts, the help announced by the government adds up to only Rs 6,500 crore, and not Rs 31,000 crore.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) will form a team to assess how this financial assistance is disbursed, he said, adding that if the state government does not have enough money, it should seek funds from the PM CARES Fund.
Thackeray also demanded at the rally that farmers must get at least Rs 50,000 per hectare. Speaking at the press conference later, he claimed that this was what the farmers were asking for.
The aid of Rs 37,500 per dead cattle and Rs 100 per chicken was meagre, Thackeray said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not speak about farmers when he visited Maharashtra for the inauguration of the Navi Mumbai international airport on Wednesday, he said.
On Maharashtra Cooperation Minister Babasaheb Patil's purported remark that people have become obsessed with loan waiver, and his candid admission that politicians make promises during elections as they want to win, Thackeray said such ministers should get their mental condition tested.
"I saw hoardings (put up by BJP leaders) congratulating the government for declaring a package of Rs 31,000 crore. But we don't find farmers on these hoardings. They are filled with (pictures of) ministers and party members," the former CM said.
The BJP-led government has failed to fulfill PM Modi's 2014 promise of doubling farm incomes, he claimed.
The Sena (UBT) leader also said that the Fadnavis government, despite enjoying a brute majority, was afraid of appointing the leader of opposition in the state assembly.
If the government was citing the rule that the Opposition does not have enough members to demand this appointment, then the post of deputy chief minister to is "unconstitutional", he claimed.
Countering Thackeray's criticism, deputy chief minister Shinde told reporters in Thane that in view of the large-scale damage caused by rains and floods, CM Fadnavis, the deputy CMs and all the ministers visited the affected areas, and decided that NDRF rules must not come in the way of providing relief to farmers.
He termed Thackeray's rally as a show of "crocodile tears", and said the latter was exploiting farmers' pain for political mileage.
"When power slips away from their hands, they cry foul. They do not really care for farmers," Shinde said.
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Sexual harassment allegations rock Italian cricket
New Delhi (PTI): Days after making a historic debut at the T20 World Cup, Italy cricket has been rocked by sexual harassment allegations by a women's team player against women's cricket co-ordinator Prabath Ekneligoda, who has been suspended by the nation's cricket board, the Federazione Cricket Italiana (FCRI) informed.
According to a statement released by FCRI, the allegations are the subject of an investigation by the federal prosecutor.
"The Federation confirms that, during 2025, the President of the federation acting within her institutional responsibilities and with the full safeguarding of the athletes and other parties involved in mind, ordered the immediate precautionary suspension of the individual concerned from all federal duties and activities," ESPN Cricinfo quoted the the board as saying in a statement.
"This measure was adopted pending a thorough and definitive assessment of the circumstances. The decision was taken as a prudent and responsible step, aimed at preventing any undue speculation, preserving the integrity of the sporting environment, and ensuring that any fact-finding takes place in the appropriate forums, with full respect for personal dignity, due process and the presumption of innocence."
According to reports, Ekneligoda's lawyer has denied the allegations, claiming "ulterior motives" were behind them.
FCRI media manager Rakbir Hasan confirmed to the website that Ekneligoda had travelled with the board president Maria Lorena Haz Paz at the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka but didn't have any official duties.
"It is further noted that proceedings are currently under way before the Federal Prosecutor's Office, which is responsible for carrying out the assessments and investigations provided under sporting regulations," the FCRI said.
