<p>With the prevailing situation and increase in number of suicides among farmers, the Congress has asked the Eknath Shinde-led BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government to declare drought in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra.</p><p>“Many parts of the state are experiencing a severe drought. Due to less rainfall, there is a drought situation in Marathwada which has led to a significant increase in farmer suicides in the region. Only 40 per cent water is left in the Jayakwadi reservoir, and the Bombay High Court has issued instructions to release water from the upstream reservoirs to Jayakwadi. Considering the situation in Marathwada, the government should immediately declare drought,” Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole said after a meeting of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee's Marathwada division which took place in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. </p><p>Former Chief Minister and ex-state Congress President Ashok Chavan too was present. </p>.Shiv Sena could have held rally at Shivaji Park but didn't do so for sake of law and order: Shinde. <p>During the day-long meeting on Tuesday representatives from the districts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Latur, Nanded, Hingoli, Parbhani, Dharashiv, and Beed were present.</p><p>"A review of all eight districts in Marathwada was conducted. We are assessing whether the decisions taken in the Udaipur camp meeting have been implemented or not. Efforts are being made to strengthen organizational ties and ensure that Congress ideologies reach every unit. The Congress party has taken a stand in favour of caste-based census. In the Udaipur camp, the Congress had also taken a decision regarding this. There seems to be a dispute between two communities on the issue of reservation,” said Patole.</p><p>"In 2014, the BJP had promised to give reservations to the Maratha, Dhangar, Gowari, and Thakur communities, but even though the BJP came to power at the national and state levels, they did not provide the reservations. The census was expected to be conducted in 2021, but it has not been done so far; the BJP is not conducting the census,” added Patole.</p><p>Hitting out at the BJP, he said: “The central BJP government is trying to intimidate the opposition party. It is creating an atmosphere of autocracy and fear. They are misusing central agencies. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have also been intensely harassed by the BJP government under the guise of inquiry. Even when Sonia Gandhi was ill, the BJP government summoned her to the ED office under the pretext of an investigation, causing her distress. The humiliation meted out to Sonia ji and Rahul ji by the BJP government is something that Congress workers will never forget,” he added.</p>
<p>With the prevailing situation and increase in number of suicides among farmers, the Congress has asked the Eknath Shinde-led BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government to declare drought in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra.</p><p>“Many parts of the state are experiencing a severe drought. Due to less rainfall, there is a drought situation in Marathwada which has led to a significant increase in farmer suicides in the region. Only 40 per cent water is left in the Jayakwadi reservoir, and the Bombay High Court has issued instructions to release water from the upstream reservoirs to Jayakwadi. Considering the situation in Marathwada, the government should immediately declare drought,” Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole said after a meeting of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee's Marathwada division which took place in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. </p><p>Former Chief Minister and ex-state Congress President Ashok Chavan too was present. </p>.Shiv Sena could have held rally at Shivaji Park but didn't do so for sake of law and order: Shinde. <p>During the day-long meeting on Tuesday representatives from the districts of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Latur, Nanded, Hingoli, Parbhani, Dharashiv, and Beed were present.</p><p>"A review of all eight districts in Marathwada was conducted. We are assessing whether the decisions taken in the Udaipur camp meeting have been implemented or not. Efforts are being made to strengthen organizational ties and ensure that Congress ideologies reach every unit. The Congress party has taken a stand in favour of caste-based census. In the Udaipur camp, the Congress had also taken a decision regarding this. There seems to be a dispute between two communities on the issue of reservation,” said Patole.</p><p>"In 2014, the BJP had promised to give reservations to the Maratha, Dhangar, Gowari, and Thakur communities, but even though the BJP came to power at the national and state levels, they did not provide the reservations. The census was expected to be conducted in 2021, but it has not been done so far; the BJP is not conducting the census,” added Patole.</p><p>Hitting out at the BJP, he said: “The central BJP government is trying to intimidate the opposition party. It is creating an atmosphere of autocracy and fear. They are misusing central agencies. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have also been intensely harassed by the BJP government under the guise of inquiry. Even when Sonia Gandhi was ill, the BJP government summoned her to the ED office under the pretext of an investigation, causing her distress. The humiliation meted out to Sonia ji and Rahul ji by the BJP government is something that Congress workers will never forget,” he added.</p>