'Make Him The Chief Minister,' Ajit Pawar Snaps At Flood Hit Farmer In Marathwada
Over the last week, heavy rains and swollen rivers have devastated parts of Maharashtra, particularly Marathwada.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has once again found himself in the centre of a controversy, this time over his remarks to a fllod-hit farmer in Marathwada. Pawar was visiting Bhoom-Paranda taluk of Dharashiv district on Thursday to meet farmers affected by the floods at a village.
According to a Print report, the farmer asked whether the government planned to declare a loan waiver for those impacted. In response, Pawar retorted, "Why don’t we make him the chief minister? Don’t you think we understand? Are we here to play gottya (marbles)? I have been working since 6 a.m. You are trying to suppress the voice of those who are working."
He added, “I am here to console you all. I have to go to another place as well. We understand what’s happening. We are giving Rs 45,000 crore under the Ladki Bahin scheme. We have waived electricity charges for farmers, we are paying those bills.”
Pawar stressed that he had rushed to Bhoom-Paranda upon receiving news of the damage, remarking, "We can pretend about many things, but it is difficult to pretend about monetary status."
Over the last week, heavy rains and swollen rivers have devastated parts of Maharashtra, particularly Marathwada. Since Sept. 20, floods have claimed at least nine lives and damaged crops on more than 30,000 hectares. The state government has announced Rs 2,215 crore in relief aid.
Pawar has been posting updates of his visits to flood-affected areas on social media.
This latest incident follows another controversy earlier this month, when a video of Pawar’s heated phone call with IPS officer Anjana Krishna went viral. The officer was reportedly taking action against illegal soil excavation in Solapur when Pawar allegedly chided her, saying, "Itna aapko daring hua kya? Main tere upar action lunga (How come you are acting in such a daring way? I will take action on you)."
Facing backlash, Pawar later clarified on Sept. 5 that his remarks had been misinterpreted. “My intention was not to interfere with law enforcement but to ensure that the situation on the ground remained calm and did not escalate further,” he wrote on X.
Party colleagues also defended him, saying it was simply "his style of speaking."
Pawar has previously faced criticism for offhand remarks, including in 2013 when he made insensitive comments about a man on hunger strike demanding the release of water from a dam.
