Farmers' stir result of apathy of past many years: Mungantiwar

Maharashtra finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar today claimed that the ongoing farmers' agitation is the result of many years of political apathy.
"There is no question of studying the issue of loan waiver now (any further) because the Chief Minister has himself announced it. The government will announce (details of) waiver before October 31," Mungantiwar told reporters in Mumbai.
"For many years there has been indifferent attitude towards agriculture. The political apathy has resulted in this stir. This agitation is not against the (present) government," the BJP leader claimed.
While the government intends to provide a loan waiver, it first wants to provide farmers with facilities to enhance production and bring them within the institutional credit net, he said.

Asked about opposition's allegation that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has been left to fend for himself and his colleagues are not supporting him during the ongoing stir, Mungantiwar said, "The CM is not alone. You cannot take the whole cabinet along to discuss a particular issue. But before taking a decision, the CM takes all his ministers into confidence.