Farmer threatens to jump off Mantralaya

Mumbai: There was high drama at Mantaralaya on Friday after Dyaneshwar Salve (28), a distressed farmer stood at the edge of the seventh floor parapet at Mantralaya Annexe building around 4 pm and threatened to commit suicide by jumping off.

Salve wanted to meet state agriculture minister Pandurang Phundkar for demands including a hike in minimum support price for soya bean, cotton and implementation of the Dr Swaminathan Committee’s recommendations for agrarian reforms.

Hundreds of onlookers gathered outside Mantralaya braving the October heat waiting for some resolution and Salve to change his mind. Additional commissioner of police (protection and security) R.N. Shinde, MoS (home) Ranjit Patil and state education minister Vinod Tawde led the rescue attempts by talking to Salve.

The distressed youth agreed to get off the parapet after Tawde gave him a written assurance that the government will look into his demands with empathy. The drama ended at 5.44 pm, even as fire brigade team and police officials spread out a safety net.  Salve hails from Mhasalapur Khurd in Tulzapur, Osmanabad.  Tawde assured that no legal action would be taken against him.

Fire brigade official spread safety net.

Salve came to Mantralaya around 3.30 pm and went to meet Mr Phundkar on sixth floor of Mantralaya without realising that Mr Phundakar was in Nagpur. An upset Salve went to the seventh floor and climbed on the parapet. The Mantralaya staff immediately informed the police. When the police tried to go near him, Salve broke a glass window and threatened to jump. He insisted on meeting chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Finally, Mr  Phundkar spoke to him on his cellphone, but the call got disconnected.

Mr Tawde said that he spoke to Salvi over tea and asked him to think of his old parents before taking any drastic step. “We have told the police to release him and give his custody to his family. No legal action will be taken against him,” Mr Tawde said.  

The opposition however slammed the government for not paying attention to farmers’ pleas.

Opposition leader in Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said, “The government tied to hide complaints of farmers. But farmers have now reached Mantralaya. The government’s failure is exposed.”  Opposition leader in Council Dhananjay Munde said, “Instead of spending so much money on marketing, the BJP government should concentrate on real issues of farmers.”