BJP to launch agitation for sugarcane farmers

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Feb 26 (UNI) BJP National General Secretary Gopinath Munde today announced his party would resort to a unique agitation of 'burning sugarcane on the farm boundries' after the Zilla Parishad elections, in order to highlight the problems faced by sugarcane growers and sugar factories in the State.

Addressing a conference here, Mr Munde said the BJP does not want to politicise the issues, which need serious attention from the Central Government.

The former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister said the saffron alliance will fight the ZP elections on the plank of load shedding, farmer suicides and government's failure in handling the sugarcane issue.

Mr Munde said ''Sugarcane prices have fallen by Rs 350-400 per metric ton as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year and there is no possibility of crushing of a record 725 mt sugarcane this year.'' Considering the gravity of the issue, Mr Munde said the government should offer financial assistance to the cane growers and also offer subsidy for transporting the sugarcane from the farms.

Mr Munde criticised the Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar for ignoring the issue, despite having in-depth knowledge of the issue.

He also criticised the democratic Front (DF) government in the State for the energy crisis and demanded the facts and figures of the Energy scenario in the State from 1999-2007.

Mr Munde also demanded an enquiry into the failure of islanding system in Mumbai on February 25 and the major power failure in most parts of the State by a competent authority.

UNI