BJP wants Opposition note on waiver

Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Party’s Maharashtra chief Raosaheb Danave has stirred up a hornets’ nest by making a controversial statement again. This time, Mr Danave has asked the opposition leaders to give it in writing that ‘farmers will not commit suicides if government waives off their debt’.

The BJP firebrand leader was speaking at a party function in Shirdi, Ahmednagar on Monday. The opposition leaders slammed Mr Danave for his ‘insensitive’ comments and demanded strict action against him.

Mr Danave is known for making controversial statement. When asked about the farmers and opposition’s demand for a complete loan waiver for farmers, Mr Danave said, “Opposition leaders should keep their politics aside and discuss the issue. Will they give in writing that after the loan waiver, farmers will stop committing suicides?”

The BJP had to face flak from all corners after Mr Danave’s statement. Opposition leader in assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil called this height of insensitivity.

“This arrogance will hurt the BJP. You can’t be so insensitive. Mr Danave is trying to hide the failure of his government by dragging the opposition leaders in the controversy,” said Mr Vikhe-Patil.

The Nationalist Congress Party too slammed Mr Danave and the BJP for not taking any action against him.

“This shows how the state government is lying to the farmers. They will not write off loans of farmers.

Mr Danave’s statement clarifies the government’s stand. Now, the farmers will have to intensify their agitation,” said NCP state chief Sunil Tatkare.

The farmers’ loan waiver issue has kept the BJP government on tenterhooks.

The opposition parties had raised the demand for loan waiver in the budget session but the BJP-led state government did not accept it.

The opposition even organised a ‘Sangharsha Yatra’ to corner the BJP on the loan waiver issue. To counter the opposition’s claim, the BJP announced its ‘Samvad Yatra’.