Cong seeks govt help for patent to Khobragade's rice varieties

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan today urged the state government to help the family of late rice innovator Dadaji Khobragade to get the nine varietes of paddy developed by him patented.

Addressing a press conference here, Chavan said Congress President Rahul Gandhi had met Khobragade's family at his native village in Chandrapur district yesterday.

"The family discussed with Gandhi a few of their demands. We will follow them up. We will write to the government soon. We urge the state govt to consider the family's demands," Chavan said.

"Their prominent demands include patent to the family for the nine varieties of rice, including HMT and DRK; helping them set up paddy research centre in Chandrapur; financial help for godown facilities; government jobs to two of the family members and an agriculture award in Khobragade's name," Chavan said.

Gandhi met the family of Khobragade, the rural inventor who revolutionised rice farming, and apologised for the nation's "apathy" towards his achievements.

Khobragade had invented the revolutionary HMT variety of paddy, but died "largely forgotten and in penury", Gandhi noted.

The 78-year-old rice innovator died earlier this month after a prolonged illness.

"Dadaji Khobragade, a Dalit farmer-scientist, invented the revolutionary HMT variety of paddy. But, he died largely forgotten and in penury. I visited his home in Nanded, Maharashtra, to condole with his family and to apologise for our apathy as a nation, to his achievements," Gandhi had said on Twitter.

Chavan also lashed out at Shiv Sena for its "double speak" on the proposed oil refinery project at Nanar in Ratnagiri district.

"On April 24, in the presence of (Sena chief) Uddhav Thackeray at Nanar, Industries Minister Subhash Desai had announced that the notification of land acquisition (for the project) will be withdrawn.

"But Desai recently said in Pune that the withdrawal of notification is in the last stage. Sena is fooling the people," he charged.