Announcing that his Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) would stage demonstrations during Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's tour of western Maharashtra if farmers' issues are not addressed, Lok Sabha MP and SSS president Raju Shetti would meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding inquiry in to scam in the selling of sugar factories to private players.
Shetti told dna over phone that 35 sugar factories in the state were sold to people with vested interests by the sugar barons for Rs 1,076 crore. Alleging that there is scam worth crores of rupees, Shetti said that he would be seeking inquiry by the enforcement directorate and for this he would meet Fadnavis on Monday. He said that he was ready to provide all the necessary information to ED in this regard.
Uddhav would be undertaking a Western Maharashtra tour after this month end. It was Shetti as well as social activists Anna Hazare and Medha Patkar who had alleged scam worth hundreds of crores in selling of sugar factories to private entities.
Shetti is part of the mega-alliance comprising BJP-Shiv Sena along with Rashtriya Samaj Party led by Mahadev Jankar, Republican Party of India led by Ramdas Athavale, Shiv Sangra organisation led by Vinayak Mete. He alleged that while selling the factories their valuation was manipulated and the factories were sold to people who were close to the sugar barons and that too at much lesser prices.
Shetti said that the SSS would launch a statewide agitation from May 1 (Maharashtra Day as well as Labor Day). "The government can leisurely find time for bringing back the black money invested abroad but what is more easy was to bring out black money through such deals in the field of white sugar," he said.
Patkar speaking to dna told that she had already demanded inquiry in to the selling of sugar factories. Shetti said that he would meet Fadnavis on Monday to demand ED inquiry and also demand for payment of dues towards fair and remunerative price for the sugar cane growers. "Around 20 per cent money due towards the payment of FRP is pending with sugar factories which are getting very good market price for sugar. Many factories have not paid these dues despite the fact that crushing season for 2015-16 is coming to an end," Shetti concluded.
