Prime Minister Modi Accuses Sharad Pawar of Playing Politics in the Name of Farmers
In a recent rally in Ahmednagar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized Sharad Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), accusing him of using farmers for political gains. Modi also pointed out that during Pawar’s tenure as Union agriculture minister, little was done to benefit farmers.
During the rally, Modi launched the “Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana,” a flagship scheme initiated by Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde. The scheme aims to support farmers and agriculture in the region. Additionally, Modi inaugurated several development projects, including the new darshan queue complex at Shri Saibaba Samadhi Temple in Shirdi and the Ayush Hospital at Ahmednagar Civil Hospital.
Addressing the gathered crowd, Modi stated, “Those who have played politics in the name of farmers have made you, the farmers, endure hardships, including water scarcity.”
Modi emphasized that his government is committed to completing 26 irrigation projects that have been pending in Maharashtra for many decades. These projects are expected to benefit farmers in drought-prone areas by providing much-needed water resources.
The Prime Minister also highlighted his government’s efforts to expedite the long-pending Nilwande Dam project, which was initially approved in 1970. He announced that the left bank canal has already been initiated, and the right bank canal will follow soon. These initiatives are aimed at resolving water-related issues for farmers in the region.
Modi questioned the contributions of certain leaders in Maharashtra who had held significant positions, particularly mentioning Sharad Pawar. During Pawar’s seven-year tenure as Union agriculture minister, he had procured food grains worth ₹350 lakh crores at minimum support prices (MSP). In contrast, Modi’s government disbursed ₹13.50 lakh crores under the MSP scheme in just seven years.
Modi criticized Pawar’s handling of the payment process for farmers during his tenure. He alleged that farmers had to rely on intermediaries, resulting in prolonged delays in receiving their payments. In contrast, Modi’s government ensured direct payments to farmers’ bank accounts under the MSP scheme, eliminating intermediaries and expediting the payment process.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the success of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, which provided ₹2,60,000 crores to small farmers across the country, including ₹26,000 crores for small farmers in Maharashtra. He then announced the “Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana,” which would provide an additional ₹6,000 to farmers in Maharashtra, effectively increasing their support to ₹12,000.
In response to Prime Minister Modi’s remarks, Jayant Patil, the Maharashtra NCP chief, shared a video on his social media account. In the video, Patil asserted that there was a contradiction in Modi’s statements. He argued that the Prime Minister had previously presented data about Sharad Pawar’s work in support of farmers.
This exchange between Prime Minister Modi and NCP leader Sharad Pawar underscores the ongoing political debate surrounding agricultural policies and the welfare of farmers in Maharashtra. It also highlights the competing claims of different political parties regarding their contributions to the farming community in the state.
As the political discourse continues, it remains important to objectively assess the impact of various policies on the lives of farmers and the agricultural sector in Maharashtra, focusing on the welfare and prosperity of those who rely on farming for their livelihoods.