The fire was real; the smoke was real. Only the cause was political or so to say the political motive reflected the pathetic conditions of the cultivators in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. And, the 'fire' was doused indeed, literally.
The winter session of Maharashtra Assembly started on a stormy note yesterday in Nagpur, the winter capital of the state also called the Orange city due to extensive prduction of the fruit in this region. The opposition parties were in an attacking mood demanding immediate announcement of increased support prices for cooton, paddy and soyabean. The issue has been long pending and so they rejected the ruling coalition's appeal for discussion leading to the lower house adjourned for the day.
Today leaders representing the cultivators and belonging to the main opposition party held demonstrations in front of the house. Demanding higher support prices for paddy they put fire to a branch of paddy they carried with them. As flames leapt up and smoke spreading a fire tender promptly turned up there to the absolute glee of scores of media perdonnel. They literally devoured the dramatic visuals of the 'fire' being doused by water pipes.
One of the two leaders behind the 'fire' got suspended from the Assembly for one full year. This decision led to the lower house being adjourned for the day making it two days of no work so far.
The opposition leader of the House while maintaining that they did not support the burning act said that the government must consider the anguish behind the act and declare increased support prices tomorrow.
While the 'fire' was indeed political the 'anguish' of the farmers of Vidarbha are real. Farmers' suicides take place here on a regular basis. Someone must dissociate politics from this real issue and take appropriate steps in the farmers' interest.
The winter session of Maharashtra Assembly started on a stormy note yesterday in Nagpur, the winter capital of the state also called the Orange city due to extensive prduction of the fruit in this region. The opposition parties were in an attacking mood demanding immediate announcement of increased support prices for cooton, paddy and soyabean. The issue has been long pending and so they rejected the ruling coalition's appeal for discussion leading to the lower house adjourned for the day.
Today leaders representing the cultivators and belonging to the main opposition party held demonstrations in front of the house. Demanding higher support prices for paddy they put fire to a branch of paddy they carried with them. As flames leapt up and smoke spreading a fire tender promptly turned up there to the absolute glee of scores of media perdonnel. They literally devoured the dramatic visuals of the 'fire' being doused by water pipes.
One of the two leaders behind the 'fire' got suspended from the Assembly for one full year. This decision led to the lower house being adjourned for the day making it two days of no work so far.
The opposition leader of the House while maintaining that they did not support the burning act said that the government must consider the anguish behind the act and declare increased support prices tomorrow.
While the 'fire' was indeed political the 'anguish' of the farmers of Vidarbha are real. Farmers' suicides take place here on a regular basis. Someone must dissociate politics from this real issue and take appropriate steps in the farmers' interest.
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