Ministers need psychiatrists, not farmers: Chavan

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan said Friday that it is the ministers of the BJP-led state government who need the services of psychiatrists and not the debt-ridden farmers.

"Maharashtra's ministers need psychiatrists. Farmer suicides are rising because of the drought and debt burden. Stop blaming farmers for the government's mismanagement," he said here, addressing a rally.

Chavan was referring to a mental health programme of the state government, started three years ago to prevent suicides, especially among farmers.

The former chief minister was in Akola as part of the fourth leg of state Congress' 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra' ahead of the next year's polls.

He accused the BJP-Shiv Sena government of failing to provide necessary relief despite a severe water shortage in several parts of the state.

"Water tankers have not started supplying water yet, but liquor shops have been allowed to stay open from 8 AM," he quipped.

While the government's farm loan waiver scheme has not been implemented properly, even the crop insurance money is being denied to impoverished farmers, Chavan claimed.

"They have received no insurance money for the pink bollworm attack on cotton crop," he alleged.