The Congress-led Opposition disrupted the proceedings in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for the fifth consecutive day today, staging a walkout over their demand of a relief package for distressed farmers, which it had been pressing since the Winter Session began on Monday.
As soon as the House assembled for the day, Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil (Congress) sought suspension of the Question Hour and demanded that the BJP-led government announced a package for farmers and crop-loan waiver.
Panel Speaker Yogesh Sagar, who was in chair, turned down Vikhe Patil's demand and went ahead with calling the questions.
This prompted the opposition members to rush to the Well of the House and raise slogans with some of them throwing papers in the air, which lasted for about 20 minutes before they walked out of the House in protest.
As soon as the Question Hour ended, the opposition members re-entered the House, again demanding immediate announcement of the loan waiver.
Amid the din, the Chair warned the opposition members against throwing pieces of paper in the air, which they ignored. Sensing that the opposition was in no mood to co-operate, Sagar adjourned the House for 10 minutes.
Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse also requested the Opposition to participate in the proceedings and discuss the loan waiver issue in the House, which may lead to some solution to the crises as state was in the grip of a severe drought and farmers were in distress.
Khadse, however, reminded the Opposition, including the NCP legislators, that veteran leader and former Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar himself had said the other day that Parliament and state assemblies should not be disrupted.
Reacting to Vikhe Patil's contention that farmers' suicides were on the rise, Khadse said suicides had happened during the previous Congress-NCP rule as well, despite introducing a loan waiver, adding that it would not be a guarantee for stopping suicides.
Protesting at the government's stance, the Opposition then walked out of the House for the day.
