Ahead of PM’s visit to Maharashtra, Jairam questions BJP on farmers, Adivasis and Gandhi’s legacy

Turning to the issue of Adivasi rights, Mr. Ramesh criticised the BJP’s poor implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), which the Congress had passed in 2006 to empower Adivasis and forest-dwelling communities

In a sharp critique ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Wardha, the Congress on Friday (September 20, 2024) has posed three pressing questions, addressing the core issues of farmer suicides, Adivasi rights, and the ideological divide between Mahatma Gandhi and Nathuram Godse.

The party’s general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh pointed questions to underscore the Congress party’s concerns over the BJP’s handling of these critical issues in Maharashtra.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Wardha on Friday to commemorate the first anniversary of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme and inaugurate several development projects, including a mega Textile Park in Amravati.

Mr. Ramesh said that the State has been grappling with an alarming rise in farmer suicides - seven farmers die by suicide every day.  Between January and October last year, 2,366 farmers took their own lives, according to Maharashtra’s Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation.

“The reasons are evident: 60% of districts faced drought conditions last year but no help arrived from the government. When crops were damaged by unseasonal rains in more than half of the State, farmers were extended loan waivers, but 6.56 lakh farmers were deprived of this relief due to software glitches,” he said in a post on X.

Also read | Only 50% farmers benefited from farm loan waivers, finds study

He underscored the grand-old party’s commitment to farmers, which includes a farm loan waiver and the implementation of MSP as recommended by the Swaminathan Committee. “In the face of this State-sponsored callousness, the Congress has consistently guaranteed farmers MSP as per the Swaminathan Committee’s recommendation, a farm loan waiver with a Permanent Commission set up to implement it smoothly, and settlement of all crop insurance claims within 30 days. What is the BJP’s vision to support Maharashtra’s and India’s farmers?” Mr. Ramesh asked.