On eve of Maha session, govt and opposition flex muscles

Setting the aggressive tone for the winter session of state legislature beginning here tomorrow, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said the BJP-Shiv Sena combine is ready to take on opposition, which may try to put government on mat on various issues including demonetisation and "distress" it has caused to common people.
Opposition today boycotted customary tea party hosted by the government on the eve of the session, in protest against its "inaction" on a string of issues concerning common man and farmers.
The opposition has accused the government of "failing" to allay sufferings of farmers, inadequate prices of farm products, hardships faced by the poor due to demonetisation, and alleged corrupt practices by some ministers.

Hinting that the opposition is keen on confrontation, the Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly, Radhakrisha Vikhe Patil said the government has become a "Doraemon cartoon", inviting a quick rebuke from Fadnavis who said the "opposition has become a Mowgli".
"The government has become like cartoon characters of Doraemon and Nobita. As Doremon takes Nobeta away from reality by showing him dreams, this government is doing the same to people," he said.
On the course of action regarding House proceedings, Vikhe Patil and his counterpart in Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde told reporters it will be decided tomorrow morning.

Meanwhile, addressing a presser after holding a cabinet meeting at his official residence 'Ramgiri' here, the CM said, "the BJP-led ruling combine is ready for constructive discussion on all issues threadbare on the floor of the House.

"(At the same time), We are all set to take on the combined opposition and show what the government has done in last two years and will also project roadmap for remaining three years."
When asked about Vikhe Patil's remarks, Fadnavis said, "the opposition has become Mowgli (main character in Jungle Book) as flowers have blossomed in local bodies polls (nagarpalika nivadnukat har jagah phool khila hai, is liye unka Mowgli ban gaya hai)."
BJP emerged as a major gainer in the first phase of Municipal Council polls, winning 851 seats across 164 urban local bodies, making inroads into the traditional strongholds of Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

Conceding that there was problems in implementation of demonetisation initially, the CM said, "the situation is fast changing now and and a record 78 per cent sowing is done for rabi crops. This has been the highest sowing in recent memory."
In a letter to CM, the opposition has alleged that state
government has failed to provide any major relief to the farmers and that farmers, farm labourers, tribals, backward classes, minorities are feeling unsafe in the saffron regime.
There was a demand for reconstruction of crop loan to the farmers but nothing has been done, they said, adding farmer suicides have not stopped.

They said the government was not paying adequate prices for the farm products.
They also alleged the government has misled the members of Dhangar, Muslim and Maratha communities over reservations.
Meanwhile, on the plight of cooperative sector affected by withdrawal of high value notes, Fadnavis said, "RBI has noticed phenomenal transactions in cooperative banks and has stopped the transactions."
He said the state government has requested the Centre and the apex bank to ease the norms to provide some relief to the customers of these banks.
Cooperative banks are not allowed to accept deposits in old notes or to exchange them with new legal tenders since demonetisation was announced last month.

Responding to a query, Fadnavis said, "the government is looking seriously into the alleged sexual assault on tribal girls of a Children Home cum residential school, and will come up with a comprehensive report to deal with the matter strictly."
He denied the investigation into the irrigation scam, in which some top NCP leaders were allegedly involved, was going at a slow pace.