Congress should apologise over farmer suicides in Maharashtra during its tenure: BJP

Mumbai, Sep 25 (PTI) The ruling BJP on Thursday demanded an apology from the Congress for the around 60,000 farmer suicides reported during the 15-year rule of the Congress-NCP alliance in Maharashtra from 1999 to 2014.

"It was due to the useless policies of the Congress-led government that farmers had no choice but to end their lives. Before targeting the present government, Congress leaders should first tender an apology for the 60,000 farmer suicides," state BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said at a press conference. The Opposition has been slamming the BJP-led government for not extending enough help to farmers who have lost crops due to excessive rains in Marathwada.

"Going by the comments of Opposition parties, one would feel happy that there is no Leader of Opposition in the legislature," Upadhye remarked, claiming that not a single constructive suggestion came from the Opposition in the past one year.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) kept talking about how their party was stolen (by the faction led by Eknath Shinde), the Congress was preoccupied with its central leadership, while the NCP (SP) opposed everything the government did, he said.

"What is the need of such an opposition which has done nothing positive?" Upadhye said.

Uddhav Thackeray, as a chief minister, failed to extend timely assistance to rain-affected farmers during his tenure, while the present government promptly announced help, he said. PTI ND KRK