Onion export ban lifted because of poll pressure: Shiv Sena UBT

Mumbai: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has slammed the BJP-led Union Government over its move to allow the export of onion in Maharashtra saying the Centre bowed before the wrath of state farmers. Not removing the export ban would have destroyed BJP’s chances in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, the party said.

“The Modi government at the Centre had to finally bow before the farmers of Maharashtra as it had to lift the export ban on onion from the state,” said the Shiv Sena (UBT) in an editorial in the party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ on Monday.

The remarks came on the backdrop of the Centre’s decision to allow the export of 99,150 metric tonnes of onion to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates. The move is reportedly aimed at quelling the outrage among the farmers in north Maharashtra in view of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The party attributed the export ban on Maharashtra’s onion due to Modi government’s affection for Gujarat and hatred for Maharashtra. “While the export ban on Maharashtra’s onion continued, the Centre had allowed export of 2,000 metric tonnes of Gujarat’s white onion. The move would have created a spark against the ruling parties in Maharashtra and the future of BJP in Lok Sabha polls would have destroyed. Hence, the ban on Maharashtra onion was lifted hurriedly,” said the editorial.

“The ban on onion export was imposed from December 2023. Farmers and traders in Maharashtra were clamoring for the lifting of the ban for the last four months. But the Modi government decided to lay a ‘red carpet’ for the onion producers of Gujarat. The Centre’s policy has been favourable to Gujarat farmers only,” said the party.

The people of the country should be equal to the ruler. But the current rulers, since coming to power, have always been leaning towards their motherland, it added.