Mumbai: A day after questions were raised over Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil’s claim that 10 lakh bogus farmers have applied for loan waiver, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP on Wednesday slammed the minister and called the statement atrocious.
“What does it mean? Are farmers bogus? How is it even possible that your online system does not accept any form if certified documents are not attached? The statement is atrocious,” said BJP MP Nana Patole.
Mr. Patole hails from Vidarbha’s Bhandara-Gondia constituency and was recently in news for taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not allowing him to speak in the meeting of MPs.
Mr. Patole claimed that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has denied any such fake farmers’ numbers. “He informed me that the process of verification is on.”
Mr. Patole said, “My point about online filing by farmers still exists. It is against the farmers’ interest. The government must rethink over it.” He claimed that he had a word over the issue with the Chief Minister on Wednesday.
When asked whether there was a political reason behind his attack on the CM, Mr. Patole denied any political switch. “I don’t get into political games. He (CM) is my friend. I am not against him as person. But when issues related to people come up, I will not keep quiet.”
Mr. Patole had also spoken on the PM and his style of working. “When I said the PM doesn’t like questions, media made a news out of it. But when Nitin Gadkari spoke the same a few days ago, nobody raised questions.”
The BJP MP also said that all political parties are in touch with him. “We are in politics. People keep calling. From Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to farmer leader Raju Shetti; all are in touch with me. What is wrong in it?”
