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Joining the onion farmers’ protest, opposition NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said he will raise farmers’ voices in Delhi against the Centre’s decision to ban the export of onions.
“We had to take to the streets because of the union government’s decision to ban export of onions. Delhi does not understand the gravity of the problem unless roads are blocked. This agitation has sent a clear message to Delhi that the government will have to revoke the export ban. I will be raising the issue in Parliament to ensure the ban is lifted,” said Pawar.
He made the statement while addressing a ‘rasta-roko’ at Chandwad in Nashik district held to protest the union government’s decision. Nashik is considered as one of the most important onion production and marketing centres in the country.
Pawar said the central government has failed to understand farmers’ sentiments. “One decision from the union government has brought farmers out in the streets. There should not be any interference from the Centre on the export of onions,” he said.
This was the first time in the last few years that 84-year-old Pawar participated in a road protest.
Onions have witnessed price fluctuations over the past few months. In August, when onion prices rose in the retail market, the Centre had imposed a 40 per cent export duty from August 20 to December 31 in a bid to ensure increased domestic availability.
The increase in prices was largely due to lower output of kharif onions as a result of rain shortages and dry spells. With prices rising again, the central government in a bid to control pricing had announced an export ban till March 2024. The decision is set to impact farmers who fear losing business. Even though Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has promised to find a way out which will not adversely impact farmers, protests have already begun.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that Maharashtra ministers are likely to meet Amit Shah in Delhi on Monday or Tuesday. “Devendra Fadnavis has already held a meeting with Union Minister Piyush Goyal regarding the onion issue and I met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday evening. The issue is now in Delhi’s court. We will have to meet Amit Shah for this,” he said.
While the NCP held a demonstration in Nashik district, Congress held its ‘Halla Bol’ rally in Nagpur where it claimed that the aid announced for farmers in the state has not yet reached farmers.
Maharashtra Congress state unit chief Nana Patole – who led the party’s protest march in Nagpur which started at Deekshabhoomi and ended at Assembly – said, “The government claims it has announced aid to farmers suffering from drought and unseasonal rains. But it has yet not reached those farmers. What is the use of mere announcements?”
Leader of Opposition in the legislative assembly Vijay Wadettiwar said that the goverment has refused to entertain the issues raised by the Opposition. “The day is not far when the farmer will bring this government down,” he said.
Continuing with the Opposition’s protest, Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh will be attending the public rally at Nagpur on Tuesday. The rally will mark the completion of Yuva Sangharsh Yatra undertaken by NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, from Pune to Nagpur, to raise issues concerning the youth of the state.
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