MLA threatens to boycott Assembly over farmers demands

Nagpur, Nov 19 (UNI) Gulabrao Gawande, Shiv Sena member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, has threatened to boycott the proceedings of the House from tomorrow to press his demand for ''justice to farmers'' of Vidarbha region of the state.

''I will not participate in the proceedings until the government ensures justice to the farmers and amends the Money Lenders Act of 1946,'' Mr Gawande told UNI here today. The Act must be amended to ensure that unscrupulous private money lenders do not exploit the poor farmers, who borrow money in times of dire need, he said.

''The boycott is not my alone, but it is of all the farmers in Vidarbha,'' he added.

Mr Gawande said he would stage an agitation in support of his demand, at the office of the Divisional Commissioner either at Nagpur or Amravati. However, he did not reveal the exact venue or time of the agitation.

Mr Gawande added that he would submit a letter about the problems of farmers and his intention to boycott the proceedings to Speaker Babasaheb Kupekar shortly before the proceedings of the House commenced tomorrow. His boycott would continue over all subsequent sessions until his demand was met, he said.

''I had earlier planned to resign from the Assembly over the issue, but Shiv Sena Working President Uddhav Thackeray dissuaded me from doing so,'' he added.

UNI