Has Shiv Sena(UBT) Exposed the Reality of the Maha Government's Treatment of Farmers and Contractors?

Mumbai, Sep 3 (NationPress) The Shiv Sena(UBT) on Wednesday criticized the MahaYuti government for allegedly pushing numerous indebted farmers and government contractors to the verge of suicide. It asserted that the government has failed to either waive farmers' loans or settle contractors' long-overdue payments, resulting in immense pressure from creditors that has placed both farmers and contractors in a perilous situation.

The Thackeray faction, in its editorial for the party's mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, condemned the state administration for its grandiose claims about economic progress, questioning, “Is this Maharashtra truly advancing?”

The Thackeray camp recounted a distressing incident from two months ago when a contractor in Jalgaon attempted self-immolation in front of the Chief Minister's convoy. “During a tour in Wardha, a contractor also attempted suicide. At that time, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar pledged, 'I will not allow contractors to commit suicide.' Yet, contractors Harshal Patil and P.V. Verma tragically chose death as an escape,” the editorial reported.

The Shiv Sena(UBT) alleged that while MahYuti leaders make bold statements, the dire state of the government’s finances has rendered such declarations meaningless. Meanwhile, indebted farmers and contractors continue to suffer. “Politicians have plundered the treasury to win elections, leaving it depleted and causing them to stall progress while the desperate farmers and contractors face dire consequences,” the editorial claimed.

The editorial highlighted that many small and large contractors in the state are engulfed in despair due to outstanding payments and bureaucratic hurdles. “The government owes these contractors a staggering Rs 89,000 crore for completed projects,” stated Saamana.

“Every day, we hear grand proclamations that Maharashtra is progressing. However, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is not even among the top five Chief Ministers in the country. Shockingly, even individuals who were financially stable until recently have begun taking their own lives. The recent suicide of a major contractor from Nagpur, P.V. Verma, due to unpaid bills worth crores has once again marred Maharashtra's image,” the editorial asserted.

“Just two days ago, Chief Minister Fadnavis announced the signing of MoUs for investments worth approximately Rs 34,000 to Rs 35,000 crore. However, Maharashtra has gained notoriety for the rising suicide rates among farmers, and now the situation has escalated to government contractors taking their lives. A contractor from Nagpur, P.V. Verma, hanged himself over a delayed payment of Rs 40 crore. In July, Harshal Patil, a young contractor from Sangli, ended his life after failing to receive payment for Rs 1.40 crore despite numerous reminders. This tragedy has repeated itself in Nagpur,” the editorial lamented.

“Harshal Patil was a contractor for the government’s much-touted ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’, while Verma was involved in various public works across Gondia and Vidarbha, including Nagpur. Faced with hopelessness, they resorted to extreme measures. The government bears responsibility for the plight of debt-stricken contractors, much like it does for the debt-laden farmers in Maharashtra,” the editorial concluded.