Sharad Pawar leads protest march on 77th birthday, asks farmers not to pay power bills, other dues to govt

NCP President Sharad Pawar on Tuesday asked farmers  to resort to non-cooperation against the Maharashtra government and not to pay outstanding loan or dues like electricity bills unless it deposits the loan waiver amount into their bank accounts. 

Addressing a public rally on his 77th birthday, the former Union Minister warned that farmers were capable of bringing down the government if their issues are ignored. 

“Unless the loan waiver amount is deposited into the bank accounts of farmers, I appeal to the farming community not to pay any dues or even electricity bills to the state government,” Pawar said.

On his birthday, the former Union Minister for Agriculture led a united Opposition's "Jan Aakrosh Halla Bol" march against the state government. 
Congress and NCP, along with all opposition parties including Peasants and Workers Party, Samajwadi Party and CPIM, took part in the march against the Devendra Fadnavis government. 

Congress and NCP took out two separate protest marches and after 2 kms of foot-march, a joint public rally was held at T Junction near Sitabuldi outside Vidhan Bhavan, where state assembly is holding winter session.

Congress' march, which started from Deeksha Bhoomi where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar embraced Buddhism, was led by former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. NCP started its march from Dhanwate National College.

Pawar who is celebrating his 77th birthday today criticised the state government for not implementing loan waiver and said, "Chief Minister is telling that money would be given but despite his repeated assurances for last six months, farmers are not receiving any  money towards loan waiver. Now farmers who possess to dethrone the governments should resolve that they would not pay any government bill, be it power bill or society dues unless loan waiver amount is deposited in their bank accounts." 

Blaming Fadnavis Government for destroying families of farmers, Pawar said that this government is "so insensitive that it is not acting even after suicides by farmers." 

He recalled that he himself along with the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had visited Vidarbha region and had announced Rs 70,000 crore loan waiver package for farmers during the UP rule. 

Both Pawar and Ghulam Nabi Azad criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his allegations against former Manmohan Singh and involving Pakistan in electioneering of Gujarat. Pawar said that it was not in the interest of the country while Azad said that whenever Prime Minister realises difficult situations he is reminded of Pakistan.

Hitting out at the BJP, Azad said the saffron party "is not a political party but has become an election winning machine." 

"That is the reason Prime Minister is either abroad or on election campaign tour in some or the other state but never in his office,"he said. 

State unit presidents Ashok Chavan and Sunil Ttakare, leaders of both the Houses Radhakrishna vikhe-Patil and Dhananjay Munde, senior leaders from both the parties were present on the dais.