Congress leader Nana Patole strongly criticised former BJP minister Babanrao Lonikar over his recent remarks about farmers, calling them deeply offensive. Patole declared, “Modi may be BJP and Lonikar’s father, but he can never be the father of farmers.”
Speaking to the media after being suspended for a day from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for raising farmers' issues, Patole said, “I would throw my MP position on the table for farmers—suspension doesn’t scare me. I am ready to give up my MLA seat and even my life for farmers.”
He accused the BJP of being an anti-farmer party, stating that “their agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate has repeatedly insulted farmers.” Patole referred to Kokate’s past comments comparing farmers to beggars and suggesting that loan waiver money be used for weddings. He added that Babanrao Lonikar recently claimed that farmers receive everything from Modi—even money for sowing, clothes, and mobile phones.
Patole sharply responded to that by asking, “Was Lonikar roaming around naked before 2014? Did he not wear clothes before Modi?”
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He went on to criticize the BJP government for failing to deliver on promises made to farmers, such as loan waivers, minimum support price (MSP), and 24-hour free electricity. He said the government has become arrogant and continues to insult the very people who feed the nation.
Concluding his remarks, Patole demanded that Babanrao Lonikar and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis issue a public apology for disrespecting farmers. “No matter how much they try to suppress our voices, we will continue to fight for farmers and never back down,” he asserted.
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