Sitting amid the blackened remains of his home, 32-year-old Nikesh Gawali carefully broke open a half-melted plastic box with a screwdriver. His hands shook slightly, not out of fear, but out of hope. “I’m trying to find my daughter Aarti’s gold earrings,” he said quietly, still focused on the box. “She’s just five. I got them made recently after months of labour work.” The plastic box, warped and blackened by heat, was one of the few things left from his two-room house on the outskirts of Dhamangaon village . All around him lay ash, broken tin sheets and charred wooden beams. The walls had cracked under the heat and the front room’s tin roof had caved in completely. What remained was a blackened debris all around - almost nothing to suggest a home once stood there. Nikesh earns his living as an agricultural labourer, like many in the village. Work is uncertain and depends on the season. Those earrings weren’t just jewellery - they were a small dream, a reward for his hard work,...
By Dheeraj Fartode
OPPOSITION parties on Friday charged Democratic Front (DF) Government with failure to provide any succour to Vidarbha and dishing out only old promises without any financial commitment and definitive time-frame. “Appointment of SIT to probe into irrigation scam was our achievement”, claimed Leader of Opposition Eknath Khadse who reminded that irrigation scam issue was discussed on 28 occasions in the past and it was because of relentless pressure the Government was forced to announce the probe.
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| Leader of opposition Eknath Khadse |
Addressing a press conference Khadse blasted “bankrupt, Rs 2.70 lakh crore debt-ridden” Government and charged it with abject failure on all counts. During winter session issues of price-rise, regional development, OBC scholarship, drought situation, farmers’ problems were raised forcefully by the Opposition, but Government gave typical answers and no additional concessions were announced, Khadse said.
The Government failed to announce any package for cotton, paddy and soybean farmers of Vidarbha, who are facing agrarian crisis. Maharashtra is reeling under severe drought. But, the Government had not announced any special package, Khadse stated. “We have demanded Rs 6,000 minimum support price (MSP) for cotton and Rs 2,500 for paddy. However, the Government has shown scant regard,” Khadse said.
The Opposition forced the Government to announce Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into irrigation scam and both the Houses were adjourned for first five days, Khadse said. “We had worked for 65 hours in five days instead of 60 hours in 10 days,” Khadse claimed while answering to criticism for stalling the house in first week.
When reporters asked about appointment of Judge and police officers in SIT, Khadse said “We have already demanded appointment of police officers and will force the Government if they do not appoint such experts the team.”
When asked about criticism by social activist Medha Patkar that BJP and NCP fixed the issue of SIT, Khadse described it as her personal opinion and stated that BJP and entire Opposition compelled DF Government to bring White Paper, appoint SIT and we will ensure that guilty must be punished. Opposition also claimed credit for suspension of two IAS officers in NA scam.
Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Vinod Tawde, BJP state president Sudhir Mungantiwar, Shiv Sena MLA Vinod Ghosalkar, MNS group leader Bala Nandgaonkar, MLAs Nitin Sardesai, Girish Bapat were present at the press conference.
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