With folded hands, Ajit Pawar seeks apology for onion export ban during pre-poll yatra in Maharashtra

Mumbai: In what comes as a shocker to the BJP, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar on Friday said that the Centre’s “onion export ban was a mistake” - and with folded hands sought an apology from the farmers.

Ajit Pawar, who is an ally of the BJP in the Maha Yuti (NDA) government in Maharashtra, is currently undertaking NCP’s Jan Sanman Yatra during which he spoke about the policies and plans of the ruling alliance ahead of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections.

The onion export ban has caused severe resentment among the farmers in Maharashtra, where the BJP-led NDA has suffered electoral losses at the hands of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (I.N.D.I.A) opposition bloc.

On Thursday, Ajit Pawar, who is also the state’s Finance and Planning Minister, launched the party’s campaign from the onion and tribal belt of Dindori in the Nashik district.

“The Central government’s decision to ban onion exports gave a big blow to the Maha Yuti…the blow from the Lok Sabha elections was so very severe that it broke our backs,” Ajit Pawar said in Niphad, which is an onion producing area.

"It hit us very hard and crippled us...the Lok Sabha election results reflect it….we made a mistake and I seek forgiveness,’’ said Ajit Pawar.

According to him, onion exports would no longer be halted and he has told the Centre which the latter agreed.

“We have decided not to ban onion exports. We decided to waive the electricity bills of farmers. The government has introduced a slew of schemes for milk, cotton, soybean and rice,” Ajit Pawar added and described in detail the Maha Yuti government’s flagship schemes like Mukhya Mantri Majha Ladka Bhau Yojana and the Mukhya Mantri Yuva Karya-Prashikshan Yojana’.

It may be recalled, on 8 December, 2023, the Central government banned export of onions till 31 March, 2024, to curb the prices, drawing the protest of farmers. However, in March, the export ban was extended till further orders, but it was lifted in early May just days before polling in Maharashtra's onion belt though it failed to make any impact.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has responded to Ajit Pawar’s statement.

“Its too late to realise…what is the use to apologising now,” said NCP (SP) state unit President Jayant Patil, as the Sharad Pawar-led party launched Shiv Swarajya Yatra from the Shivneri Fort in Junnar in Pune district, the birthplace of legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. “Before Lok Sabha polls, there was no Ladki Bahin, there was no Ladka Bhau…they have realised it now after the poll debacle,” said Patil.