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Farmer detained as he garlands minister Nitesh Rane with onions
An onion farmer garlanded Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane to protest falling onion prices, highlighting distress among growers amid fluctuating rates.
The drop in onion prices and its impact on onion growers got reflected in the state when an angry onion farmer garlanded state minister Nitesh Rane with onions onstage during a religious programme of Nivruttinath Maharaj in Chirai village, Nashik on Monday night. The minister rose to address a gathering at 9 pm when the farmer suddenly arrived on stage and garlanded him with onions.
Before the farmer could speak on the mike he was whisked off the stage by security. Later it was revealed that the farmer had come to express his disappointment with the steep drop in onion prices and was frustrated with the fluctuating prices. The farmer was later identified as Mahendra Lahu Suryavanshi and an offence under Bharati Nyay Sanhita (BNS) 223 related to an offence of disobeying an order issued by a public servant. Suryavanshi was detained for some hours and later let off after being issued a notice, police said.
A video went viral on the social media where Rane was seen allowing the farmer to express himself. However, before he could speak, a group of security persons and organisers are seen forcibly taking him away from the stage venue.
On December 19, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar had urged the BJP led central government to remove the 20 per cent export duty, citing farmer distress and climate challenges amid surplus crops.
In a letter to Union Commerce minister Piyush Goyal, Pawar highlighted issues of onion farmers in Nashik, a key onion-growing district.
“The arrival of fresh crops has led to a surplus in agricultural markets, forcing farmers to sell their produce at lower rates, averaging ₹2,400 per quintal. The summer yield has been exhausted, and the fresh crop has reached markets across the state . However, farmers are now distressed as they are unable to secure a minimum support price for their produce,” Pawar wrote.
The NCP also stated that unseasonal rains and climate change have caused substantial losses to onion growers and further emphasised the need for immediate action to address the economic challenges faced by farmers. The farmers in the district are upset by the sharp decline in onion prices, which have dropped by ₹2,000 per quintal in the last 10 days. The onion growing farmers argue that the 20 per cent export duty on onions has failed to stabilise prices leading to frustration.
