Aaditya Thackeray starts tour of drought-affected areas to meet farmers

Mumbai: At a time when 16 districts across the state are staring at drought-like situations, Shiv Sena (UBT) reached out to farmers who are facing loss of crops. Party leader Aaditya Thackeray is headlining a campaign called ‘Shetkari Sanvad Yatra’ (dialogue with farmers) and started his tour on Friday from villages in Aurangabad district where the state government is going to hold a cabinet meeting on Saturday.

Due to the El-Nino effect, the state has not received enough rain this year and 16 districts have received rain below 75% of average rainfall. Agriculture minister Dhananjay Munde admitted this week that the dry spell in August has affected crop production and there is drought-like situation in half of Maharashtra. In the first week of September, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray visited Ahmednagar districts to meet farmers.

Sena (UBT) has planned a tour to reach out to farmers across the state. Thackeray scion Aaditya Thackeray is leading this ‘Shetkari Sanvad Yatra’ and started his tour from the villages in Aurangabad districts on Friday afternoon. He will visit villages in Nashik district on Saturday. Shinde-Fadnavis-Pawar government will hold a cabinet meeting in Aurangabad on Saturday to declare a package for Marathwada region. He reached the same Aurangabad district one day before cabinet and met farmers to know their grievances.

He began his tour on Friday along with leader of opposition in council Ambadas Danve, former MP Chandrakant Khaire etc from Nipani village in Paithan tehsil. Farmers showed him the field and crops dried due to dry spell and informed him about the crops loss. He also visited the Lohgaon, Nilajgaon bypass in Paithan and Gurudhanora, Muddeshwadgaon in Gangapur tehsil. Thackeray said that farmers and crops are suffering due to the dry spell. But agriculture minister Dhananjay Munde who is also from Marathwada has no time to meet farmers and help them. Thackeray also promised farmers that his party will stand by them and will force the state government to help you.

“The state government is busy taking care of builders and contractors but have no time to look after the farmers. But do not give up, be patient. Even if the state government has ignored farmers our party will stand with you,” said Thackeray. Thackeray during this tour also visited relay hunger strike at Bidkin for Maratha reservation and extended support for their demand. On Saturday Thackeray will visit villages in Niphad, Sinnar and Igatpuri in Nashik district before returning to Mumbai.

Earlier in the morning Thackeray after arriving at Aurangabad criticised the BJP government in centre saying when our army officers and soldiers were killed in attack by the terrorists Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders were busy in celebrations in Delhi.