'No Minister Will Roam Freely': MVA's Stern Warning To Govt Over Jalgaon Farmer Relief

The Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) has demanded that the state government declare a wet drought in Jalgaon district following heavy rains that have caused immense damage to farmers’ crops, livestock, and agricultural land.

The opposition alliance alleged that the government was merely pretending to provide assistance by setting arbitrary criteria, and warned that if immediate relief was not announced, ministers would not be allowed to move freely across the district.

A memorandum demanding that Jalgaon district be declared wet drought-hit was submitted to the district collector on Friday. MVA leaders said that despite the severe damage caused by unseasonal and excessive rainfall, the government was wasting time formulating guidelines instead of acting swiftly to compensate the affected farmers.

They claimed that the losses suffered by farmers are irreparable. The government’s criteria-based approach is a mockery of the plight of the farming community. The administration must declare a wet drought in the entire district without any delay or conditionalities, the leaders said in the memorandum.

They further warned, if the government fails to declare a wet drought, no minister will be allowed to roam around the district.

Farmers across Jalgaon have suffered widespread losses due to the recent downpour. Many fields remain submerged, while livestock deaths and damage to agricultural structures have added to the distress.

The MVA leaders said the situation had pushed thousands of farmers into despair and debt, and accused the government of ignoring their suffering for political convenience.

A large number of office-bearers and activists from all three MVA parties — the Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress — joined the delegation at the collector’s office to register their protest and demand urgent government action.

Shiv Sena (UBT) deputy leader Gulabrao Wagh, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Bhaskar Kale, NCP district president Pramod Patil, former district president Ravindra Bhaiya Patil, Shiv Sena  (UBT) metropolitan president Sharad Tayde, NCP (SP) metropolitan president Ejaz Malik, Vikas Pawar, Mangala Patil, Pratibha Shirsath, sub-district president Bhausaheb Sonawane, taluka president Pramod Ghuge, deputy metropolitan president Prashant Suralkar, Mazhar Pathan, Ramesh Patil, Vishwanath Patil, Y S Mahajan, Laxman Patil, N D Patil, Rajendra Patil, and Vishwajit Patil were among the prominent leaders present.