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Mumbai, Nov 11 (IANS) Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led coalition government in Maharashtra, accusing it of indifference and deception over the unfulfilled promise of complete farm loan waiver. In a strongly worded editorial in Saamna, the Sena (UBT) said the leaders of the ruling coalition are being exposed day by day for their lack of concern for farmers, especially due to their insensitive statements. It said the latest example is the statement of Water Resources Minister and BJP leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, who mocked the demand for farm loan waiver at an event in Pandharpur, saying, “Form a cooperative society, take a loan, waive it off and then demand loan waiver. This has been going on for many years.” The Thackeray camp criticized Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, saying that his statement once again exposes the hypocrisy and deceit of the ruling government. This is not only an insult to the farmers, but is also bringing the lie to the fore again. “The poison of Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil is terrible. So if an angry, poor, debt-ridden farmer responds to the call of farmer leader Bachchu Kadu – ‘Smash Vikhe-Patil’s car and get a reward of Rs 1 lakh’ – how can that farmer be guilty?” the editorial asked pointedly. The Thackeray camp said the relief package for flood-affected farmers recently announced by the state government is not acceptable, as complete farm loan waiver is the only solution to rebuild and revive farmers facing huge financial stress. It further states that loan waiver is not a favor from the government, but a necessity for farmers and also their right as annadata (food providers) of the country. “During the Assembly election campaign, these same people had promised loan waiver of farmers. But after being elected, their mouths have been shut. The same tongue that hesitates even in saying the ‘L’ of loan waiver, becomes long while making fun of farmers. Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil has done exactly the same. Are these people really farmers? They are cooperative traders. So how can they ignore the suffering of the common debt-ridden farmers or the families of those farmers? Will those who were forced to end their lives due to debt understand? the editorial asked. Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena said that farmers’ expectation of complete loan waiver is not unreasonable at all. Be it Kharif or Rabi, every year the irregular weather takes away from them the crop which was almost in their hands. Many times even re-sowing becomes useless. The result is that the mountain of debt keeps increasing on them. On top of that, government compensation or crop insurance amounts are quite nominal. “People in power like Vikhe-Patil neither accept this need nor accept the right to loan waiver. Yet these same people build their sugar mills on government capital. Later, those factories fall into crisis due to mismanagement and corruption. Then they take fresh loans from the government. Yet, the factories get closed. These same people then buy those closed sugar factories at peanuts. And to run them, they Let’s again take a loan of thousands of crores of rupees from the government.” According to the editorial, politicians started sugar mills in the name of farmers – every single politician became a sugar trader. Later, using that money, they became education traders and so on. “Their political crops flourished on the same foundation. But the ordinary sugarcane grower, in whose name all this was done, is still there. Even today, he does not get a fair price for his sugarcane. If he had got a fair price, he would not have needed to form cooperatives, he would not have been in debt, and people like Vikhe-Patil would not have had the courage to mock him over loan waiver,” it said. The editorial further alleged that leaders of the ruling parties were involved in dubious land deals worth Rs 1,800 crore while making fun of the demands of farmers. “The Deputy Chief Minister questions how everything can be free, the Chief Minister keeps postponing the loan waiver by giving ‘date after date’ and now his Water Resources Minister rubs salt into the wounds of farmers with his taunts,” it said. –IANS SJ/SKP