Maharashtra government should put an end to mafia operating in Beed: Supriya Sule

Speaking to the reporters, the Baramati MP said the country and state were facing challenges such as rising inflation, unemployment, corruption, cancellation of contracts, injustice towards farmers, and violence.

Pune: NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Tuesday expressed concerns over the situation in Maharashtra's Beed, where sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was murdered last month, saying the state government should put an end to the mafia in the district.

Speaking to the reporters here, the Baramati MP said the country and state were facing challenges such as rising inflation, unemployment, corruption, cancellation of contracts, injustice towards farmers, and violence.

Asked if Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's appointment as the guardian minister of Beed will change the situation in the district, she said she does not expect change from an individual, but the state government as a whole must work towards improving law and order in the region.

Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, was abducted, tortured, and murdered on December 9, allegedly in retaliation for his efforts to prevent extortion attempts against an energy firm linked to a windmill project.

"I expect the government to stop all these types of crimes. The government should put an end to any mafia there (Beed)," Sule said, adding that the state will not attract any investments if the situation prevails.

"If such an atmosphere persists, who will come to the state to invest so, these issues need to be taken seriously. I have been demanding an all-party meeting over the Beed issue to ensure our state is made the best destination for investments in the country," she said.

Sule also expressed concerns about the economic challenges the state and country are facing and said that economists were predicting a potential weakening of the rupee against the US dollar, with speculation that it could surpass Rs 90.

"The country and state were facing challenges such as rising inflation, unemployment, corruption, cancellation of contracts, injustice towards farmers and violence. Looking at Maharashtra's economy, the burden of debt and interest being paid on loans, it is worrying how the state will steer out of this situation," she said.

She said India is facing significant economic challenges, and detailed insights into the situation will likely emerge in the upcoming budget.

"Economists predict a potential weakening of the rupee against the dollar, with speculation that it could surpass Rs 90. If this happens, it could pose severe challenges for the state and the nation," she said.

Sule said it has been two months since the government formation, but no policy decisions have been made.

Asked about what the second term of the Trump administration would entail for India, the MP said it was too early to say anything.

"He (Donald Trump) has made some quick and harsh decisions on the first day. We will wait and watch what bearing these decisions will have on India," she said.