Farmers' agitation, a planned political game: Prithviraj Chavan

In a veiled reference to the Shiv Sena and the BJP, CM Prithviraj Chavan on Friday claimed that the Maval agitation in Pune which claimed the lives of three people was pre-planned by a political party. He said a probe by a retired high court judge will substantiate his claim.

Chavan’s comments are likely to spark a war of words between the Shiv Sena and the Congress.

Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray has already criticised Chavan’s deputy, Ajit Pawar, for not visiting the aggrieved villagers.

The CM compared the Maval agitation where farmers opposed the release of Pavana dam water for a drinking project in Pimpri-Chinchwad to last year’s protest against the removal of Dadoji Konddev’s statue in Pune.

Two Sena leaders — party MLC Neelam Gorhe and Uddhav’s secretary Milind Narvekar — were arrested for instigating the mob to damage vehicles and property during the agitation.

The Shiv Sena had called for a bandh then and Narvekar allegedly told Gorhe over the phone to give a violent turn to the agitation. This came to light as the police had tapped the phones of Narvekar and Gorhe.

Denying that the police were unnecessarily targeting people, Chavan said the Maval agitation was planned by a section of a political party with mala fide intention. He said the continuous telecast of visuals from the agitation on TV escalated the impact of the incident. The CM also assured action against police officials if found guilty.

Ajit Pawar, meanwhile, openly alleged that the farmers’ stir on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway was planned at the Rambhau Mhalagi Prabodhini in Bhayender. The NCP leader said the BJP had organised a two-day camp for its legislators in the first week of August and that the agitation was planned then. He said bullets fired from the gun of an unidentified person were being examined. 

State home minister told the lower house that an unidentified person first opened fire at the police after the agitation began on Tuesday.