Delhi: Shiv Sena holds protest, demands relief measures for farmers

New Delhi [India], Nov 18 (ANI): Shiv Sena leaders on Monday staged a protest near the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj here on Parliament premises, demanding the declaration of unseasonal rains in Maharashtra as natural calamity.
Protestors were seen standing with placards in the parliament premises that read, "Declare Maharashtra natural disaster-prone region", and were shouting the same.
"Heavy and unseasonal rains in Maharashtra have destroyed the crops of the farmers. The government has done nothing to provide relief to them. We demand that every farmer should be given Rs. 25,000 to tackle the problems. Shiv Sena is always with the farmers and will always fight for their rights," protesting MP Shrirang Barane told ANI.
"In the last five years, our leader Uddhav Thackeray has done a lot for the framers in the state. Due to the President's Rule, the farmers are being affected as nothing is being done in their favour," he added.
"This is the demand of our farmers. So here we are trying to bring the issue to the government and to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the issue. It is the responsibility of the government to support the farmers and provide relief measure to them. The farmers should feel that the government is with them," another Buldhana MP Pratap Jadhav said.
Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on November 16 took stock of the damage caused to crops by the unseasonal rains during October-November and announced financial relief to the affected farmers.
According to an official statement, Koshyari announced a relief of Rs 8,000 per hectare up to 2 hectares for agricultural Kharif crops and Rs 18,000 per hectare up to 2 hectares for horticulture or perennial crops.
In addition, the Governor announced exemption of land revenue in the affected areas and exemption of examination fee of schools and colleges for wards of farmers who have suffered crop damage. (ANI)