Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Sep 3: In a scathing attack on the MahaYuti government, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has accused the ruling coalition of neglecting the state's farmers and contractors, pushing them to the brink of despair. In an editorial published in its party mouthpiece, 'Saamana', the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction claimed the government's failure to waive farm loans and clear massive dues owed to contractors is creating a dire situation, leading to suicides.

Reporters highlighted the case of several contractors who have taken their own lives due to the financial stress of unpaid government bills. It cited two recent suicide attempts by contractors in Jalgaon and Wardha, and noted the tragic deaths of Harshal Patil and P.V. Verma. The party claimed the government owes contractors a staggering Rs 89,000 crore, creating a "life-threatening dilemma" for many.

The 'Saamana' editorial criticized the government's claims of economic progress, arguing that the increasing number of suicides paints a different picture. It pointed out that a prominent Nagpur-based contractor, P.V. Verma, committed suicide over an unpaid bill of Rs 40 crore, and a young contractor from Sangli, Harshal Patil, ended his life after a prolonged delay in receiving a Rs 1.40 crore payment for his work on the 'Jal Jeevan Mission'.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged that the government has mismanaged state funds to secure political victories, leaving the treasury in a state of crisis and unable to pay its debts. The party concluded by stating that the government is directly responsible for the plight of these contractors, whose suffering mirrors that of the state's debt-ridden farmers.