Six Farmers Die Daily, Says Congress

Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal lambasted the Mahayuti government on Friday, alleging that six farmers commit suicide daily due to unaddressed agrarian distress, yet the Devendra Fadnavis-led administration remains indifferent. Speaking to reporters, Sapkal accused the BJP-allied government of being “anti-farmer” and delaying a promised farm loan waiver, exacerbating the crisis.

Also Read: Flood Chaos Grips Nanded: Over 200 Stranded, Army Leads Rescue Mission

Sapkal highlighted the tragic case of Babasaheb Subhash Sarode from Nevasa taluka, Ahilyanagar, who ended his life after recording a video blaming the government’s failure to deliver a loan waiver. “Sarode hoped for debt relief, but the government’s inaction pushed him to despair,” Sapkal said, citing a recent X post detailing the incident.

Sapkal questioned why Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, former CM Eknath Shinde, and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar have not acted swiftly to approve the waiver, calling the government “thick-skinned, blind, mute, and deaf” to farmers’ plight.

Official data, shared during the state assembly’s monsoon session, revealed 767 farmer suicides between January and March 2025, underscoring the crisis’s severity. Sapkal criticized the government’s response, noting State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule’s statement that loan waivers would target only “needy” farmers, excluding those with farmhouses or bungalows.

“How many more lives must be lost before the ‘right time’ for a waiver?” Sapkal asked, pointing to the government’s committee tasked with studying the waiver’s feasibility, which has yet to deliver a decision.

The Congress leader’s remarks echo growing public frustration, with X posts reflecting outrage over the government’s inaction. With Maharashtra’s agrarian economy under strain from erratic monsoons and rising debt, Sapkal demanded immediate relief to prevent further tragedies, urging the state to prioritize farmers’ welfare over political delays.

Also Read: Mahayuti Unfazed by Sena (UBT)-MNS Alliance