BJP, Sena men in a House skirmish

Treasury and Opposition benches clashed in the State legislature on Tuesday on the issue of compensation to farmers hit by natural calamity and non-implementation of crop loan waiver. They almost came to blows when the BJP and the Shiv Sena members charged at each other, forcing the speaker Nana Patole to adjourn the house for half an hour.

The BJP legislators had marched to the Assembly with flex boards carrying a report published earlier in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', demanding Rs 25,000 per hectare aid for farmers hit by untimely rains.

After the House assembled, the BJP legislators rushed to the well. Leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis said the

Opposition will not allow the House to run till the government makes an announcement. The Sena, in turn, argued that the Rs 10,000 crore aid announced by the BJP government for crop damage was inadequate. Patole appealed to the BJP members to return to their seats and allow the House to continue with its proceedings. However, some Sena legislators tried to snatch the flex boards from the BJP members, leading to much din in the House. It all started when BJP legislator Abhimanyu Pawar was brandishing a banner in front of Thackeray and other members. It provoked Shiv Sena legislator Sanjay Gaikwad into trying to snatch the placard from Pawar. This led to a scuffle and heavy sloganeering. Senior leaders from the BJP and the MVA intervened to control the angry legislators. As the BJP members refused to return to their seats, the Speaker adjourned the House for 30 minutes. Thackeray later told reporters outside the House that the government is committed to keeping its promise to help the farmers. ‘‘The Opposition should not create pandemonium on the issue as the government will fulfil its commitment,’’ he said. ‘‘Instead of shouting slogans in the assembly, the BJP should demand money from the Centre,’’ Thackeray advised. He informed that the state government has sought Rs 14,000 crore from the Centre comprising Rs 7,000 crore for flood hit farmers and another Rs 7,000 crore for damage caused by untimely rains to agriculture. However, he said the state government from its own kitty has so far sanctioned Rs 6,700 crore of which Rs 3,000 crore has been disbursed.