Cong takes dig at Shetti over his demand from sugar factories

Taking a dig at Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSP) leader Raju Shetti for demanding Rs 3,200 per tonne as the first instalment from sugar factories, Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said he should explain the rationale behind the demand to the ruling BJP.
The Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly also claimed that the sugar industry was staring at a deplorable future.
Shetti while addressing the 15th Annual sugarcane conference organised by the SSS at Jaysingpur in Shirol tehsil of Kolhapur district last week had announced that no sugar factory will be allowed to start crushing till they declare the first instalment of Rs 3,200 to farmers.

"Shetti needs to explain to the BJP government the mathematics behind his demand of Rs 3,200 instalment. Sugar industries in the last two years are working on the debts taken by the Centre to pay the Fair Remunerative Price and to adjust variations in sugar prices," Vikhe-Patil said in a statement issued here.
He said the Centre needed to intervene and create favourable financial conditions for the factories.
"Instead of misleading sugarcane farmers, Shetti, whose party is an ally of BJP should rather explain the rationale behind his demand as barring a few private owned factories, most factories belong to farmers," he said.

Meanwhile, referring to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's statement to a section of media that he has made Maharashtra the number one state in the last two years of his tenure, Vikhe-Patil said said the CM was "blatantly lying" to the people.

"The state is not progressing but is digressing. In which sector does the state hold a numero-uno position? The government is not serious about issues ranging from farmer suicides to everyday problems plaguing people," he alleged.
The state is number one in supporting corrupt practises, Vikhe-Patil alleged.
The BJP-Shiv Sena combine has only failed the expectations of people and showed them false dreams, the Congress leader added.