'Assault' of farmer at Mantralaya shameful: Shiv Sena

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena today dubbed as "ruthless and shameful" the alleged assault of a farmer last week by police personnel at the State Secretariat, where he came to meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

"The farmer (Rameshwar Bhusare) who came to Mantralaya seeking compensation for his damaged crops was mercilessly beaten and dragged out of the State Secretariat. This incident is not only sorrowful but ruthless and shameful. It is sad that this cruelty took place outside the Chief Minister's cabin," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

Bhusare, who hails from Ghatshendra village in Kannad taluka of Aurangabad district, was allegedly beaten up by security staff at the Mantralaya on March 23. He had claimed to have incurred losses to the tune of Rs 10 lakh during hailstorm in 2015 but was refused any compensation from the authorities following which he came to meet Fadnavis.

The edit said that the contention by policemen on security duty that the distressed farmer bit them was a blatant lie.

"Will the CM believe that a weaponless and hunger stricken farmer bit a hefty policeman and got away with it ? Will the policeman not respond to it ? Do not give a loan waiver and do not give a compensation, but atleast do not punch and kick farmers," it said.

The Sena said that Fadnavis, who talks of a transparent administration, has not been able to provide compensation to farmers who lost their crop to unseasonal rains and hailstorm in 2015 and Bhusare represented all of them.

After a furore in Maharashtra Legislature by the Opposition parties, the state government has been asked by the Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar to submit a report on the incident when the House resumes on March 29.

The CM has already ordered a high-level probe into the episode.