Mumbai: Acknowledging the farmers’ strike that started on Thursday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has appealed to them to withdraw it in an attempt to ensure that the common citizens would not be affected. In a press conference held later in the day, the CM expressed the government’s willingness to discuss the matter with the farmers, despite previous attempted failures.
“Today, Agriculture Minister Pandurang Phundkar spoke to the farmers and we are willing to talk further. The strike is in fact more problematic for the farmers who will have to bear the losses as their food items are not being able to reach the markets,” Mr Fadnavis told the reporters.
The CM added that Nashik, Ahmednagar, Pune and Marathwada are the worst affected areas due to this strike. He has also asked the milk federations to accept the milk at higher rates if the farmers are bringing them in, instead of denying milk processing. “At present, there is no scarcity of the food items and we are confident that the issue would not continue for long,” he said.
Reacting to BJP ally Swabhiman Shetkari Sanghtana MP Raju Shetti’s support to the strike, the CM said that some political leaders are instigating the cause. He said, “Some political leaders whose Yatra failed to woo the farmers are now instigating them with an intention to aggravate the strike.”
Intending to pacify the farmers who are on strike, Fadnavis said that the state government is bringing an act to make it compulsory for the farmers to get a minimum support price. “The act will make not giving minimum support price to the farmers a punishable offence,” the CM said.
