After govt's assurance on farm loan waiver, 'divyangjan' aid hike, Kadu withdraws hunger strike

Amravati, Jun 14 (PTI) Former MLA and Prahar Janshakti Party founder Bachch Kadu on Saturday ended his hunger strike here after Maharashtra minister Uday Samant assured him that his demands of farm loan waiver and hike in honorarium for persons with disabilities will be addressed by the government.

Kadu was on a hunger strike in Gurukunj Mozari in Teosa Taluka here for the last seven days demanding complete loan waiver for farmers in Maharashtra and Rs 6000 per month assistance for 'divyanjan' (PwD).

Samant met Kadu and read out a letter of revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule which gave details of the formation of a high-level committee within 15 days to work on the farm loan waiver demand.

Samant also said a meeting will be held immediately to decide on giving new crop loans and postponement of recovery of previous loans.

A provision to increase the honorarium of PwDs will be done in the supplementary budget on June 30, Samant added.

Six state ministers have already met Kadu and more meetings will be held with him in the days to come to address all the demands, Samant added.

"On behalf of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, I requested Kadu to withdraw his fast. The government is ready to discuss his demands. Moreover, we cannot let his health as well as that of his supporters deteriorate," Samant said.

Addressing a gathering at the protest site, Kadu claimed Fadnavis and Pawar were not speaking about farm loan waiver earlier but were doing so after his agitation.

The government must announce a date for farm loan waiver by October 2 or he would once again start an agitation, Kadu said, adding he was only postponing his stir and not ending it.

On Friday, Bawankule had met Kadu and facilitated a phone conservation between the latter and Fadnavis. PTI CLS COR BNM