Gadkari demands apology from Vaghela, Deshmukh

Nagpur, Sep 10 (UNI) BJP Maharashtra unit President Nitin Gadkari has demanded an apology within 48 hours from Union Textiles Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela and Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for their reported comments, calling the farmers from Vidarbha 'lazy.' Speaking to reporters here today, Mr Gadkari said party workers would launch an agitation all over the state and burn their effigies if the two leaders did not tender an apology.

''It is unfortunate that Mr Vaghela and Mr Deshmukh should have made such comments when Vidarbha was reeling under the worst-ever agrarian crisis and the number of suicides by farmers was at an all-time high,'' Mr Gadkari said.

Mr Gadkari said while addressing the concluding function of a conference on cotton in Akola on Sunday, Mr Vaghela and Mr Deshmukh made comments to the effect that farmers from Vidarbha were lazy.

The comments were uncalled for and unbecoming of the stature of the two leaders, he added.

UNI