Mumbai: As Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi meets farmers in Vidarbha today, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said his Government was ready to accept suggestions from him to improve the condition of peasants but he should avoid playing politics over farm issues.
“If Rahul Gandhi has come to Vidarbha to understand the problems of farmers, it is a good thing and we will accept his suggestions to improve their lives. But, if he wants to indulge in politics, we would ignore,” he told reporters here.
Fadnavis reminded the Congress Vice-President that it was his party that ruled the State till recently and everybody knew what was the condition of farmers during the 15-year rule of Democratic Front Government.
“We (BJP-led Government) have been here for six months...they ruled for 15 years. Everyone knew what was the condition of farmers (during Congress-NCP rule),” said the Chief Minister, who assumed office in October last year.
Fadnavis said the BJP-Shiv Sena Government was doing everything that is possible to help farmers, who have faced crop losses due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms, and bring them out of the prevailing situation.
“Rahulji has every right to meet farmers and review the situation...If he has good suggestions we will certainly look at them,” the Chief Minister said.
The 44-year-old Amethi MP this morning set out on a padyatra (foot march) from a village in Amravati in Vidarbha to meet farmers and take stock of agrarian situation in the region, which has reported suicide by hundreds of farmers over the last few years.
Fadnavis, just back from a visit to Israel, said the State Government would get modern farm technology from the West Asian country, known worldwide for its expertise in agriculture, to help farmers.
An expert team from Israel would help farmers on various aspects of agriculture and a pilot project would be taken up in Yavatmal and Osmanabad districts, he said.
