BJP sponsored Kisan Sabha march: Opposition

Mumbai: Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, on Thursday alleged that the recent CPM-led Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha’s tribal farmers’ Nashik-Mumbai “long march” was sponsored by the BJP. He said, “Everything was arranged by the BJP for not giving credit to the Congress-NCP agitations for farmers."

Mr Vikhe-Patil slammed the government for making all efforts to avoid inquiry into the suspicious death of CBI judge B.H. Loya. NCP leader Ajit Pawar objected to the extra police protection given to ministers and demanded that the rate be doubled.

“The Congress and NCP arranged the Halla Bol and other marches and agitated for a few months. But the government did not take cognisance neither did it take action on our demands as it did not want to give political credit to the opposition. But in the Kisan Sabha march, the government and ministers were in touch with the Kisan Sabha leaders. They were brought to meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and their demands were accepted, which was already decided; alleged Mr Vikhe-Patil.

Mr Vikhe-Patil alleged that the state government had engaged senior counsels, paying high fees in the judge Loya matter pending in the Supreme Court to avoid inquiry. “The government offered chartered flights to the counsels,” claimed Mr Vikhe-Patil, who went on to explain the details of judge Loya’s death.

Slamming the government for extra security cover given to ministers, Ajit Pawar asked why the ministers were afraid and whether they had done anything wrong.