Maharashtra: Solapur Congress to hold ‘rasta roko’ protest tomorrow over onion price crash

Amid mounting anger among onion growers across Maharashtra over the sharp fall in onion prices the Congress will stage a massive lsquorasta roko jan aakroshrsquo protest in Solapur on Tuesday under the leadership of MLA Praniti Sushilkumar ShindeShiv Sena UBT slams Maharashtra governmentLast week the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray UBT accused the Maharashtra government of remaining indifferent to the plight of onion farmers who are reeling under severe financial stress due to the continuous decline in prices reported IANSThe party said onion growers in the state are perpetually left distressed irrespective of the season At times unseasonal rain and hailstorms destroy their crops while in other instances even a bumper harvest fails to bring relief because farmers are forced to sell their produce at throwaway prices or dump it on roads due to poor market rateslsquoFarmers pushed to the brinkrsquoIn an editorial published in the party mouthpiece lsquoSaamanarsquo the Thackeray camp claimed Maharashtrarsquos onion growers have once again been pushed to the brinkldquoWhile onion production has been excellent market prices have continued to crash The current rates do not even cover the cost of production yet the government remains characteristically indifferent The crop cultivated with immense hardship has now become a lossmaking venture for farmersrdquo the editorial stated according to IANSOpposition questions onion procurement priceThe editorial also referred to the recent announcement by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding the onion procurement price of Rs 1235 per quintal during a programme in Satara attended by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh ChouhanldquoForget profit this price does not even cover the production cost The government has effectively imposed a decadeold rate on farmers At the same time fuel prices have been increased for the second time adding to transportation expenses for onion growersrdquo the editorial allegedGulf War export slump worsen crisisHighlighting the broader crisis the editorial said the ongoing West Asia conflict has negatively impacted onion exports leading to oversupply in the domestic marketldquoState agencies do not have the capacity to manage such a massive stockpile resulting in a continuous fall in pricesrdquo it said IANS reportedThe editorial further claimed that farmers are now being forced to sell onions at rates as low as Rs 1 per kilogramFarmerrsquos symbolic protestReferring to a symbolic protest by a Marathwada farmer the editorial said Sudhakar Sultane had mailed a letter a onerupee coin and a single onion to the Chief Minister to highlight the worsening crisisldquoDespite this emotional appeal the government has remained completely unmovedrdquo the editorial remarkedFadnavisrsquo past promise recalledThe Uddhav Thackerayled party also reminded the government of an earlier assurance allegedly made by Devendra Fadnavis when he was Deputy Chief MinisterldquoThree years ago Fadnavis had promised a guaranteed onion rate of Rs 2410 per quintal Why is the government now insisting on just Rs 1235 per quintalrdquo the editorial questionedThe party further alleged that since no immediate elections are due in the state the ruling dispensation feels no urgency to address farmersrsquo concernslsquoFarmers will remember thisrsquoConcluding its attack the Thackeray camp said Maharashtrarsquos onion growers are trapped in a vicious cycleldquoIf they store the onions the produce rots If they sell it they receive dirtcheap prices Today the government has brought tears to farmersrsquo eyes and refuses to wipe them away But the ruling administration must remember that these very farmers will one day bring tears to the eyes of those in powerrdquo the editorial warnedWith IANS inputs