Ex-FM Yashwant Singh breathes life into stir by farmers

MUMBAI: BJP leader Yashwant Singh was in Akola at the invitation of Shetkari Jagar Manch, which has launched a stir to demand minimum support price for cotton and soybean and adequate compensation for loss of crop.

The Akola collector and police superintendent were taken by surprise after the former Union minister refused leave the police ground unless the demands of agitating farmers were accepted. Later minister of state for home Ranjeet Patil reached the venue and got Sinha to speak to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Sinha called off the strike after the CM’s assurance. Many are asking if Maharashtra’s farmers have lost faith in the state politicians. Sinha launched his agitation at a juncture when Sharad Pawar-led NCP began a march from Yavatmal to Nagpur for the farmers’ cause. The Congress has organized an agitation in Nagpur on December 12, while the CM has set up a headed by farmers’ leader Kishore Tiwari to tackle the agrarian crisis.

Errant doctors face the heat
Medical education minister Girish Mahajan is taking on erring medical teachers. At government-run Yavatmal Medical College, medical education secretary Sanjay Deshmukh directed the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) and the Nagpur collector to secure data on the absent doctors. It was found that most of the doctors were carrying out private practice and drawing salary and perks from the state. The DMER asked the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) to go ahead with cancelling the registration of medical teachers. Subsequently, MMC has issued show-cause notices.
Babus put CM in a bind

Besides Fadnavis, chief secretary Sumit Mullick, DGP Satish Mathur, senior officials attend the ‘Lok Shahi’ day event, but it seems like a waste of time. Lok Shahi day was introduced to resolve those problems, which can’t be resolved at the district or regional level. In last week’s Lok Shahi day event, an ex-serviceman from Palghar district told the CM that there was encroachment on his farm land and that the administration was not taking any action.

Another complaint pertained to the allotment of stalls to the physically handicapped in the Thane Municipal Corporation limits. While both the disputes were resolved, a former DGP said that Fadnavis must initiate action against the errant officials at the district level.