Maha CM should decide on irrigation white paper: Pawar

"Chavan should decide on issuing the white paper," Pawar told reporters after chief minister held a meeting with Water Resources Minister and NCP leader Sunil Tatkare yesterday on the issue.

Pawar said he did not know about the deliberations that went on between the two leaders.

On the comeback of former deputy chief minister and his nephew Ajit Pawar into the government, the NCP chief said, "He (Ajit) resigned voluntarily. The decision will be taken after an inquiry (into irrigation projects). No decision has been taken (so far) on his comeback into the ministry."

Ajit Pawar had resigned following allegations of irregularities in clearing projects as irrigation minister.

Taking a dig at farmers' leader Raju Shetty, who spearheaded sugarcane farmers' agitations for higher price to their produce, Pawar said as a farmer Shetty should have refrained from adopting violent means.

"If he is a farmer then why is he adopting violent means to press for his demand. What will farmers achieve by burning down tyres, spoiling milk to protest for their demands. A farmer cannot resort to such violent means of protest," Pawar said.

He was referring to violent protests by farmers for last few days against refusal of cooperative sugar factories in Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur districts of western Maharashtra to give Rs 3,000 per ton as first advance on sugarcane purchase this season. Factories have agreed to pay Rs 2,300 per ton.

The agitation had been spearheaded by Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna leader Raju Shetty who was yesterday released from Yerawada Jail in Pune.