Dindori: Farmers’ anger at Centre’s onion policy could impact results

Dindori comprises most of the rural parts of Nashik district. Agriculture is the only source of income here and onions are one of the major crops in the region

DINDORI: About a year ago, as farmers took to the streets over the falling prices of onions and the heavy duty levied on their export, union minister of state Bharati Pawar became the face of the government as she negotiated with the farmers and tried to pacify them. Now as she seeks re-election, contesting against the NCP (SP)’s Bhaskar Bhagare, she could well be the target of the farming community’s anger.

Nashik, India - March 12, 2023: Farmers throw onions and tomatoes on the road as a mark of protest as they participate in a long foot march from Nashik towards Mumbai, organised by CPIM, in Nashik, Inida, on Monday, March 13, 2023. (Photo by Ravindra Rajput/HT Photo) (Hindustan Times)

Dindori comprises most of the rural parts of Nashik district. Agriculture is the only source of income here and onions are one of the major crops in the region. The central government’s decision in August to impose export duty on onions up to December 31, 2023 led to unrest in the farming community in Nashik and other areas. On December 8, it further decided to ban the export of onions, leading to an outcry by farmers, especially those from Nashik which is considered the onion capital of India.

Uttam Dagu Nagare (65) has 2.5 acres of farmland in Dongargaon, Niphad, where he primarily cultivates onion. “Onion produce is not getting appropriate prices even today,” he said. “Water supply has become another issue for us apart from high power bills. No political party is looking seriously at our issues.” Nagare added that Modi had “resolved” the Ram Temple issue that “was pending from the Nehru era” and said that farmers were confused about whom to vote for.

Grapes, another major crop from the district, was also affected due to the ban on onion exports after Bangladesh decided not to import Indian grapes after India failed to export onions to the country. “This badly impacted the grape-growers from the region, as prices came down, and farmers failed to recover even input cost. They are very angry,” pointed out a wine producer.

Countering this, state BJP spokesperson Laxman Sawji said that the Modi government had ensured good prices for other produce. “You are talking about onions but farmers don’t cultivate only onions,” he said. “There are other crops which fetched prices that farmers did not get in the last 50 years. There is no shortage of fertilisers now. All this will also be considered by the farmers.”

NCP minister and popular OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal admitted the discontent among the farming community. “We have raised onion and grape farmers’ issues with the government,” he said. “However, the people also want a strong government and thus will vote for Modi ji.”

Dr Pawar has failed to make a connection with her constituents in the last five years. She is being accused of not bringing any big project to the constituency despite being a union minister. “She was not as active in the constituency as was expected, maybe because of her responsibilities as a union minister. The onion issue has added to her woes. There are also issues like unemployment and inflation among others,” said a senior journalist Yogendra Wagh.

Amol Viste (30), who runs a sugarcane juice centre in Vinchur, said that PM Modi was “taking the country ahead” but Bharati Pawar had done nothing for them. “I have not seen her in the last five years,” he said. “Our lives survive on local necessities, which can be resolved by efficient local leaders.” This is the only reason I will vote for NCP (SP) and not Dr Pawar.” Wagh added that the situation started changing for Dr Pawar after rallies by PM Modi, Nitin Gadkari and Devendra Fadnavis.

Politically, the NCP (SP) appears to be weak in this Lok Sabha constituency, as neither it nor its allies have any MLA here. However, NCP founder Sharad Pawar is believed to have a significant number of followers in Dindori. He also addressed his maiden rally in Yeola, following a split in the party last year.

Of the six assembly seats in the Lok Sabha constituency, the undivided NCP had won four segments in 2019. All the four MLAs—Nitin Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Bankar and Narhari Zirwal—switched loyalties to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar when he split the party in July last year. The Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the BJP have one MLA each.

But all is not well among the ruling allies in Dindori. Former MP Harishchandra Chavan, who represented Dindori from 2009 to 2014, had first declared that he would contest as an independent, giving up the idea only after being convinced by the state BJP leadership. Recently, Suhas Kande, Shiv Sena MLA from Nandgaon alleged that Bhujbal was campaigning for Bhagare. The NCP minister, who is said to be unhappy after being denied a ticket from the Nashik Lok Sabha seat, denied the allegations.

Another NCP MLA Zirwal was seen with Bhagare at Teesgaon village in Dindori, where the NCP (SP) candidate was campaigning. Zirwal later clarified that he was invited there to attend a puja at Hanuman Mandir.

Caste equations also come into play in Dindori, as it is a tribal-dominated constituency, and both the Lok Sabha candidates are tribals. Dr Pawar represents the Kokna caste, which, at around 4 lakh, has the highest population among tribals. Bhagare comes from the Mahadev Koli tribe, which, at around 2 lakh, has the second-highest tribal population.

After tribals, the Maratha community has the second highest population in the constituency. The community is upset with the BJP for the way it handled the Maratha reservation agitations. It is also annoyed with Bhujbal, who strongly opposed the demand for giving reservation to the Maratha community from the OBC quota. The resentment among the politically significant community may create trouble for the BJP candidate.