Agitators of the Prahar Janshakti Party blackened the portrait of Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, beat it with shoes and later set it on fire near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Parbhani on Tuesday, condemning his recent remark that termed farmers’ agitations for loan waivers and other demands as “a farce”.
The protestors also submitted a memorandum to the district collector stating that nearly six lakh farmers have died by suicide in Maharashtra, and yet the government remains apathetic to their plight. “The farmers are agitating to press various demands, including the loan waiver. However, the revenue minister feels that these agitations are just a farce,” the memorandum read.
Prahar Janshakti Party president Bachchu Kadu has been leading statewide agitations demanding loan waivers and guaranteed prices. The agitators alleged that the government had made pre-election promises on loan waivers and guaranteed value but failed to act on them after coming to power. Instead, they said, a minister’s “insensitive” statement has hurt the sentiments of the farming community.
Slogans were raised against the government and Minister Bawankule during the demonstration.
Those who participated in the protest included party district president Shivling Bodhane, persons with disability wing district president Keshav Jadhav, secretary Rameshwar Puri, Rameshwar Jadhav, Uddhav Garud, Ankush Giri, Shankar Damodar, Vaibhav Sanghi, Suresh Aglave, Hemraj Garud, Rahul Shivbhagat, Ramraj Kagne, Narayan Dhumal, Ramesh Jodhale, Gopinath Jondhale and others.
