Centre has made 'all preparations' to ensure that onion growers do not face trouble: Maharashtra BJP chief

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule was replying to reporters' questions about protests against the 40 per cent export duty on onions

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Friday said the Union government has taken all necessary steps to ensure that onion farmers do not face any problems, reported the PTI.

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According to the news agency, Chandrashekhar Bawankule was replying to reporters' questions about protests against the 40 per cent export duty on onions and NCP chief Sharad Pawar's statement that the export duty was never so high when he was agriculture minister.

"I do not want to talk about what Pawar should have given and what he gave to the state as agriculture minister.....deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, in spite of being in Japan, kept a close tab on the onion issue. Union minister Piyush Goyal is keeping an eye on it....The Union government has made all the preparations so that farmers do not face any troubles. You will see that soon," Bawankule said, as per the PTI.

He also said that Sharad Pawar and NCP MP and Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule will have a change of heart and support Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership in view of the works done by the prime minister in the last nine years and the works he will be undertaking this year.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Friday said the Narendra Modi government can send a mission to the Sun, but it should first focus on the onion issue in the country or else the ruling party will not even not realise that their 2024 Lok Sabha endeavour will go haywire., reported the PTI.

In an editorial in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana, the party slammed the Centre's decision to impose 40 per cent export duty on onion.

"The people (of the country) are being engaged in new missions like Moon Mission, Sun Mission and Venus Mission. Mission Sun is all fine, but it is very much essential that the onion issue in the state stabilises," the editorial said.

Nashik, Ahmednagar and Pune districts of Maharashtra are known for their onion produce. A section of farmers have been protesting against the Centre's decision to impose a 40 per cent import duty on onion.

(with PTI inputs)

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