The Shiv Sena accused the government of neglecting farmers despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s praise for them. The party highlighted the deep distress in the agricultural sector, calling farmers’ lives a “living hell.” It criticized the central and Maharashtra governments for failing to address core issues faced by farmers, including the impact of “black laws” and international trade on their produce.
The editorial pointed out the alarming situation in the Marathwada region, citing a high number of farmer suicides. Over 225 farmers took their lives in the last three months, with an average of four to five deaths daily in March alone. The editorial also mentioned the lack of irrigation, unseasonal weather, absence of Minimum Support Price (MSP), and ineffective crop insurance schemes contributing to the sector’s woes.
The Shiv Sena editorial criticized Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for focusing on industrial investments rather than addressing the agricultural crisis. It accused the government of prioritizing electoral gains over farmers’ well-being, emphasizing the need for genuine political commitment to resolve the agrarian distress. The party condemned the government for allegedly dividing farmers by caste and religion for political purposes, instead of uniting to support the farming community.
