Wadettiwar says Mahayuti govt will fall by Holi, slams it over farmer aid and drought relief

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said in Nagpur that by the coming Holi, the Mahayuti government would be seen burning and ending like the Holi fire. He said those in the government were fighting fiercely among themselves, complaints were reaching the high command and files were being held up. According to Wadettiwar, only quarrels were going on, the public's work was not getting done, and the people of Maharashtra were paying for the infighting.

Asked about the Congress's role in agitations, Wadettiwar said the party would support everyone who agitates against Modi and against "chor Gyanesh Kumar".

On farmers, Wadettiwar accused the government of a double standard. He said that on one hand the government was calling its decision on Rs 5,000 advance aid historic, while on the other it was sitting on two instalments of the Namo Shetkari Sanman Nidhi. He said the two instalments together amounted to Rs 3,700 crore, which had not been paid. Wadettiwar said Maharashtra had never seen such a government before.

Referring to Gadchiroli, he said the district was with the Chief Minister as guardian minister, yet ten of its tehsils had still not been included in the drought list. Only two tehsils had been declared drought-hit and the rest were left out. Wadettiwar said some people were citing Karnataka's example, but the drought there was not as severe, and yet its government had helped farmers. He alleged that the Maharashtra government had given help not with an open hand but grudgingly.

Wadettiwar said Maharashtra had received 37 per cent less rainfall, so the Centre should give as much aid as it did last time. According to him, Gujarat gets help without even asking. He said the central team had come and gone and there was not much time left for Diwali. He also said there was a fear that crop insurance companies would throw up their hands in the drought and flee after giving token help.

Citing Beed district, Wadettiwar said fake proposals worth Rs 800 crore had been prepared there before the livestock scheme began, and had to be cancelled after allegations were made. According to him, the operators of Vaidehi Agro company had made the attempt along with some people in the government, and it was caught in time. He said some such wolves were waiting to profit from the drought.

Wadettiwar asked how Diwali could be celebrated on Rs 5,000, saying that forget sweets, would people even manage plain meals. He said the government should be ashamed and would have to pay for it. According to him, farmers' anger would come out on the streets, and if aid of Rs 1 lakh per hectare was not received before Diwali, farmers would make it difficult for ministers to move about.

Speaking on Kunal Kamra's statement about Umar Khalid, Wadettiwar asked why evidence had not been produced and why the chargesheet had still not been filed. He asked why Khalid had been kept in jail for two and a half years, and whether it was only because he belonged to a minority community. He said the court had asked for the evidence and chargesheet to be filed, yet they were not being filed. He also alleged that in areas of Delhi without CCTV, police beat girls, and asked what kind of policing this was.

On Sharad Ponkshe, Wadettiwar said he was a man blinded by the Manusmriti. According to him, Ponkshe often takes Godse's name, but could he name his children after him. Wadettiwar said Ponkshe calls the Manusmriti the first constitution and is a half-wise man. He said Ponkshe should read the Manusmriti and tell people where it places women and Shudras, and that the Manusmriti never gives Shudras equal rights.

Wadettiwar asked the media to also keep an eye on the Mahayuti's infighting and not show only the quarrels of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. In his words, they have stripped Maharashtra bare and are stripping themselves too, and this should also be shown.