Cong to target govt in state on drought and farmer suicides

In its first stint in the Opposition after 15 years, the Congress has decided to put on its aggressive face and take on the Devendra Fadnavis-led government on drought, farmer suicides and Dalit murders.

In its first stint in the Opposition after 15 years, the Congress has decided to put on its aggressive face and take on the Devendra Fadnavis-led government on drought, farmer suicides and Dalit murders.

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On the first day of the session, the Congress plans to take a protest march to the state Assembly in Nagpur. The party may also attack the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government on the promises they made before the polls.

The party leaders have campaign speeches of key state BJP leaders, including Fadnavis and Prime Minister Narendra Modi ready, to target the government on its turnaround.

The Congress had demanded the state hand over the probe of Dalit murders in Javkheda, Ahmednagar district, to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The party had demanded a complete loan waiver for farmers who suffered heavy crop losses and a compensation of Rs25,000 a hectare for dry land farmers and Rs50,000 for horticulturists. The demands have not been accepted by the government.

The party is also using social media to corner the BJP on drought and farmers’ issues by releasing memes in drought-prone areas targeting its leaders.
For instance in one such message, rural development minister Pankaja Munde has been slammed for her Sangharsh Yatra — the statewide tour she undertook before polls — saying the intiative stopped after the BJP came to power and now her district Beed has become the state’s capital for farmer suicides.