Mumbai, Apr 12 (PTI) Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal on Saturday claimed a farmer from Nanded committed suicide due to the loan recovery pressure from his bank and demanded that the government be charged with culpable homicide for such incidents.

Addressing a press conference here, Sapkal said the state is reeling under drought, water scarcity due to failed Jal Jeevan schemes, and the lack of jobs in villages.

“The triple-engine government came to power by making tall promises to the people, only to betray their trust. The government has deceived beloved sisters, workers, and farmers,” he alleged.

Sapkal further claimed the lack of fair prices for agricultural produce, crop insurance compensation and loan waivers are leading to a devastating crisis where farmers are ending their lives.

“The suicide of Haridas Vishwambhar Bombale from Patoda Thadi in Dharmabad taluka of Nanded district is nothing but a sacrifice forced by the government,” he alleged and demanded that the government be booked for culpable homicide in such farmer suicide cases.

Sapkal claimed Bombale ended his life due to the loan recovery pressure from his bank.

“The government has not compensated for losses due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms. It has neither provided any assistance nor honoured its loan waiver promises. With life becoming unbearable, farmers are resorting to hanging themselves,” he alleged.

He said the chief minister and both deputy CMs should go to Delhi, and secure a special package for the state and help farmers.

“The state is reeling under drought, several regions are facing acute water shortages, and even drinking water is scarce. Migration to cities is rising due to the lack of employment. The Jal Jeevan scheme has been riddled with corruption and is essentially a farce, yet the government continues to ignore these issues,” Sapkal alleged.

He hit back at Maratha royal and BJP MP Udayanraje Bhosle’s demand for a 10-year jail for those who insult Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj.

“Why is Udayanraje Bhosale silent on ‘Bunch of Thoughts’? The BJP, which he represents, gives more importance to Golwalkar’s (book) ‘Bunch of Thoughts’ than the Constitution.

“The book contains highly objectionable content about Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. It would have been better if Udayanraje had demanded a ban on this book,” he said.

Sapkal raised concerns over the missing mention of the EWS category in the notification for exams being conducted by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) and transparency.

“The advertisement for the exam was published in 2023, the preliminary exam was held in 2024, and the result was declared. As there is no Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in the notification, candidates have to submit a fresh application to appear for the mains,” the Congress leader claimed.

He alleged the MPSC portal frequently faces glitches.

“Authorities must ensure that the portal remains functional. Conduct a transparent process or introduce an offline single-window scheme for form submissions. Only then should the notification be issued, followed by a 45-day window before the exam,” he added. PTI MR NSK