Uddhav Thackeray, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, fiercely criticised the Maharashtra government’s recently unveiled ₹31,628 crore flood relief package for farmers, dismissing it as the “biggest joke in history.” He declared that if the government failed to announce a complete farm loan waiver soon, farmers would have no choice but to take to the streets in protest. Addressing a public gathering in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Thackeray accused the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government of betraying the farming community by making hollow promises instead of providing genuine relief. His statement ignited a wave of opposition support, with multiple parties echoing his demand for an immediate and total loan waiver.
During his speech, Thackeray argued that the figures announced by the state were misleading and exaggerated. According to his claim, agricultural experts have estimated that the real amount of relief being disbursed is closer to ₹6,500 crore — barely a fraction of the ₹31,000 crore the government is boasting about. He demanded that every affected farmer be compensated with at least ₹50,000 per hectare to adequately recover their losses. Furthermore, he insisted that the state should immediately release ₹1 lakh out of the ₹3 lakh promised for land restoration in the Marathwada region, which has witnessed severe soil erosion due to recent floods. He likened the government’s duty towards farmers to that of parents caring for their children, stressing that the administration must take full moral and financial responsibility for their welfare.
Continuing his attack, Thackeray mocked the token compensations offered under the relief scheme — ₹37,500 for each dead cattle and a mere ₹100 for every chicken lost. He accused the government of being indifferent to farmers’ suffering and suggested that if it genuinely lacked resources, it should appeal to the Prime Minister’s PM CARES Fund to secure sufficient financial aid. His words resonated deeply among farmers and opposition leaders alike, many of whom labelled the government’s package as “deceptive” and “grossly inadequate.”
Responding sharply to Thackeray’s allegations, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde accused him of indulging in “political drama” and shedding “crocodile tears” for farmers. Shinde asserted that the Mahayuti government had already conducted ground visits to flood-affected regions, with Chief Minister Fadnavis personally leading several of them. He added that the administration had even gone beyond the rules of the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to ensure enhanced and expedited assistance. “When power slips from their hands, they suddenly remember farmers,” Shinde remarked, calling Thackeray’s campaign nothing more than an attempt to regain lost political relevance.
The devastating floods that struck Maharashtra in September wreaked havoc across Marathwada and neighbouring areas, damaging crops on nearly 68.69 lakh hectares of farmland. In response, the government announced a relief package that offers up to ₹48,000 per hectare in total aid. However, the Opposition has unanimously condemned the scheme, calling it grossly insufficient in addressing the scale of the crisis.
Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar described the package as a “mockery of farmers’ misery,” stating that affected cultivators had expected compensation of at least ₹50,000 per hectare. He questioned why Maharashtra — one of India’s wealthiest states — could not extend more meaningful assistance when smaller states had managed to provide generous relief from their own budgets. Wadettiwar also demanded transparency on when the financial aid and promised loan waiver would actually reach the farmers’ accounts.
The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) joined the chorus of criticism, branding the package a “blueprint for deception.” NCP (SP) spokesperson Amol Matele alleged that the plan would only “deepen the debt trap” for struggling farmers rather than help them rebuild. He emphasised that the government’s proposal fails to reflect the grim ground realities — from washed-away farmlands to destroyed livelihoods — and called for a well-defined rehabilitation program, concrete loan waivers, and long-term financial support.
Through these escalating exchanges, the political landscape in Maharashtra has grown increasingly tense. On one side, the state government defends its relief efforts as proactive and compassionate, while on the other, opposition leaders accuse it of manipulating figures and ignoring rural distress. As anger among farmers continues to mount, the debate over genuine relief versus political theatrics has once again taken centre stage in the state’s turbulent political narrative.
