Targetting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis indirectly over his government’s failure to address the agrarian crisis in the state, former chief minister and senior Congress leader Prithiviraj Chavan has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, complaining about the 15-day foreign junket undertaken by two senior ministers directly responsible for handing the agrarian crisis, along with their families, as part of a legislators’ delegation.
In a strongly worded letter, Chavan urged the Prime Minister to ask Fadnavis to recall immediately Agriculture Minister Pandurang Fundkar and Food and Public Distribution Minister Girish Bapat, who instead of attending to the agrarian crisis have gone abroad with their families ostensibly on a study tour.
Alluding to the record production of tur dal in the State, Chavan said: “Sadly the government procurement system has let down badly the farmers. The farmers are agitating for procurement (of tur dal) at MSP through Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. The number of suicides is rising”.
“Unfortunately instead of personally attending this crisis, the Agriculture Minister (Fundkar) along with Food and Distribution Minister (Bapat) have gone abroad as part of a legislative delegation led by the Speaker (Haribhau Bagde) to Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. It is appalling that the two ministers directly responsible for handling the current farm crisis have gone on a 15-day junket along with their family. The timing could not be worse. The farmers in the state are shocked,” Chavan stated.
Slamming Fadnavis for allowing the two ministers to go abroad at a time when the state is reeling under agrarian crisis, the former chief minister said in his letter: “I am sure you ( Modi) are aware that as per Rules of Business, specific sanctions from the chief minister and PMO is mandatory before any minister of the State government is permitted to travel abroad. Surely these two ministers have obtained this prior sanction before leaving”.
Chavan went on to request the Prime Minister to ask the chief minister the two ministers back to their duty. “The legislative delegation led by Hon Speaker could continue on their official visit. I am sure you will appreciate the seriousness of the matter and take appropriate steps,” the senior Congress leader told Modi.
legislators of all political parties are currently on a visit to Australia, New Zealand and Singapore at the invitation of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is bearing half of the expenditure of the tour, while the remaining half is being borne by the legislators concerned.