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Mumbai: Members of the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in the Maharashtra Legislative Council on Thursday walked out of the House to protest against the state government's perceived failure to offer any succour to debt-ridden farmers.
The opposition parties were agitated over the delay in the submission of a report concerning farmers' suicides in the state and demanded that Revenue Minister Narayan Rane explain why such a crucial report was being withheld.
The protest came after a one-man committee set up on November 13, 2007 by the government and headed by economist and Vice-Chancellor of Pune University, Narendra Jadhav, was given a second extension to give its final report.
At least five official reports on causes of farmers' suicides in the state have been submitted to the state government earlier.
Sena leader Diwakar Raote called for the report to be finalised before the state budget on March 19 to allow for appropriate budget provisions for the distressed farmers.
Serious about solution
Rane said the government was serious about implementing the recommendations of the report and had therefore given Jadhav three more months to submit it. Farmers continued to take the extreme step despite the government complying with recommendations of the earlier reports, he added.
BJP leader Nitin Gadkari alleged that rural banks had exploited poor farmers by charging them exorbitant interest rates.
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