Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Rohit Pawar on Monday launched an indefinite fast in Mumbai, protesting the conditions attached to the Maharashtra government's farm loan waiver scheme. The protest, held at the party office, aims to pressure the state administration to provide unconditional debt relief to farmers.
Demands for Unconditional Waiver
Pawar, the grandnephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, criticized the government for imposing eligibility criteria that exclude many small and marginal farmers. He argued that the waiver should cover all farmers without bureaucratic hurdles. The fast will continue until the government agrees to remove conditions like landholding limits and income caps.
Background of the Issue
The Maharashtra government had announced a farm loan waiver of up to Rs 2 lakh per farmer, but with stipulations such as land ownership proof and income certificates. Farmers' unions and opposition parties have termed these conditions impractical, especially for tenant farmers and those with fragmented landholdings.
Rohit Pawar's protest has drawn support from various farmer organizations and opposition leaders. He has vowed to continue the hunger strike until the government issues a revised, unconditional waiver order.
