Thackeray demands ₹50,000-crore package from PM for Maha flood relief

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday demanded a relief package of ₹50,000 crore from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government to mitigate the damage done by the floods that ravaged many parts of Maharashtra, especially Marathwada

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday demanded a relief package of ₹50,000 crore from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government to mitigate the damage done by the floods that ravaged many parts of Maharashtra, especially Marathwada. The demand came a day after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, seeking substantial funds to compensate affected farmers.

Thackeray demands ₹50,000-crore package from PM for Maha flood relief

Addressing a press conference at his residence, Matoshree, Thackeray said, “The PM Cares fund has a deposit of thousands of crores. If Modi, who is scheduled to be in Mumbai on October 8 and 9 for infra inaugurations, declares a package of ₹50,000 crore, then not only Marathwada but the entire state can be taken care of to some extent.” Thackeray also demanded a blanket loan waiver for farmers, so that banks would stop sending notices to them. “My government had granted a loan waiver of over ₹20,000 crore in 2019,” he said.

Thackeray suggested that Fadnavis emulate Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, who has announced ₹50,000 per hectare to farmers for crop losses. “I am requesting our CM with folded hands to also declare ₹50,000 per hectare,” he said. “He should also start distributing the money and complete it in a time-bound manner.”

Ashish Shelar, state cultural affairs minister, asked Thackeray to avoid a slugfest. “Everyone is expected to help the farmers and support them in their difficult times,” he said. “Uddhav Thackeray too should avoid making political statements in this time of crisis.”

The Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha (ABKS) and other farmers’ organisations began visiting flood-affected areas, beginning with Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Saturday. Among other demands, the organisations want 50,000 per acre, the official declaration of a “wet drought”, immediate monthly financial aid of ₹30,000 per family as wage-loss compensation to farm labourers, and a waiver of all loans. Ajit Nawale, national joint secretary, ABKS, stated, “We will create awareness among the affected farmers to press for all our nine demands.”

Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala lambasted Modi for not visiting the state. “More than five million hectares of farmland have been destroyed, and over 100 people and hundreds of cattle have died,” he said. “Despite such a grim situation, neither Modi nor his ministers visited the state to assess the damage or console the farmers. Will Modi wipe their tears when he comes to Maharashtra next month?”

Wangchuk arrest

Thackeray also slammed the Union government over the arrest of Sonam Wangchuk, saying the noted activist is being declared an “anti-national” even as the Centre allowed the Indian cricket team to play matches against Pakistan. He said that playing a cricket match with Pakistan is the “height of shamelessness” even as he called for a boycott of Sunday’s Asia Cup final between the two nations.

“On one hand, Sonam Wangchuk, who developed a technology to provide solar tents to the Indian defence forces, has been declared as anti-national and arrested under National Security Act and on the other, the government is allowing to play cricket matches with Pakistan that was behind the terrorist attacks on our country,” Thackeray said. “This is nothing but hypocrisy. I appeal to all the patriot citizens to boycott the cricket match scheduled on Sunday.”

Wangchuk was arrested under the stringent NSA on Friday, two days after protests over statehood and land protections roiled Ladakh and left four people dead and 100 injured. The Union government has blamed the climate activist, who was among the leading figures of the Ladakh statehood movement, for provoking the clashes on Wednesday. A day later, the Union home ministry cancelled the foreign funding licence of a non-governmental organisation run by Wangchuk.