Maharashtra govt's announcement of aid for flood-affected farmers lacks substance: Owaisi

Mumbai, Oct 9 (PTI) AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday dismissed the announcement of a Rs 31,000 crore package by the Maharashtra government for flood-affected farmers in the state, claiming that it lacked substance.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was following in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's footsteps by making "big but hollow" announcements, the Hyderabad MP said at a rally in Ahilyanagar district.

Of the total package announced, Rs 10,000 crore come from the National Disaster Response Fund and around Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 crore would be allocated from departmental budgets, Owaisi claimed.

The farmers who lost fertile soil in the fields to floodwaters have received very little help, he alleged.

When Fadnavis was in opposition and Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister, the BJP leader had demanded that the government declare a wet drought and waive farm loans, said Owaisi.

The AIMIM leader also questioned the silence of those who failed to condemn a lawyer's attempt to hurl a shoe at Chief Justice of India B R Gavai.

"These people, who cannot accept that a Dalit has become Chief Justice of India, are spreading hatred in society. Why did RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat not utter a single word....He says he wishes to end the caste system, but he remained silent in this case," Owaisi said.

It was shameful that a senior lawyer was involved in the incident, the AIMIM chief said, asking, "Who radicalised him?" PTI ND KRK