It's time to remove those behind farmers' suicides: Eknath Khadse

JALGAON: Hitting out at the former Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra, senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse said it was time to remove those from the state during whose rule scores of farmers committed suicide.

"It is now time to expel such people from the state, during whose rule about 50,000 debt-ridden farmers ended their lives. During these 15 years of NCP-Congress alliance, load shedding of 18-20 hours was imposed in the state which created problems for the farmers," Khadse said while addressing a rally at Bhusawal in Jalgaon district last night.

He appealed to the people to bring the BJP to power with full majority so that developmental programmes could be implemented without any hurdle.

Criticising Sharad Pawar, he said the NCP chief despite being an MP for so long could not get the statue of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji installed in front of the Parliament, but veteran BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee got it done when he was the Prime Minister.

He accused the erstwhile Congress-NCP rule as the government of "Bhrashtachar" (corruption) and which tortured the dalits and tribals.

He also criticised NCP leaders Ajit Pawar and R R Patil for their irresponsible statements.

Patil, the former state Home Minister, had stoked a controversy by trivialising rape when he recently said an MNS candidate for the Assembly poll jailed for the offence could have waited for elections to get over before committing the crime.

Ajit Pawar, while ridiculing a farmer fasting for water had said at Indapur, "He has been fasting for the last 55 days. If there is no water in the dam, how can we release it? Should we urinate into it? If there is no water to drink, even urination is not possible."

Pawar's embarrassing remarks had triggered an outrage, forcing him to tender an apology.

Khadse also urged people to remove "goondas" from the local municipal council.

The former Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly said many of his rivals were spreading rumour of his death in near future owing to an illness. "But I will not die till I teach lesson to these goondas and expel them from the area," he said.

Referring to senior Congress leader Madhukarrao Chaudhary and former President Pratibha Patil, he said Congress did not give opportunity to many deserving leaders to serve as chief minister.

The demand from people of Khandesh for a leader from north Maharashtra region to be made the chief minister is genuine, and it would be possible only if BJP is voted to power with full majority, Khadse added.