Bapuji Aney Memorial Committee slams govt for decades of economic neglect, irrigation injustice in region
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
In a strongly worded statement issued on the eve of Maharashtra Day, the committee declared its protest against the persistent "economic terrorism" allegedly inflicted by successive western Maharashtra-dominated administrations.
Advocate Avinash Kale, convenor of the committee, said, "Maharashtra Day is not a celebration for Vidarbha. It marks 65 years of betrayal and economic exploitation. Today, we urge the people of Vidarbha to resolve to build a separate state."
Kale cited official affidavits submitted by the Maharashtra chief secretary before the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court in PIL No.82/2011 to illustrate the financial disparity. "From 2012-13 to 2024-25, ₹26,994 crore was allocated for irrigation in Vidarbha, but only ₹16,563 crore was spent. Over ₹10,381 crore was diverted to western Maharashtra," he alleged.
He also pointed to a continuing shortfall in irrigation coverage, with only four lakh hectares irrigated out of a potential 12 lakh hectares.
"Every year, despite increasing farmer suicides due to lack of irrigation, the budgeted funds are either insufficient or reallocated," he said. In 2024-25, while ₹5,552 crore was provisioned, only ₹4,370 crore was sanctioned, and ₹4,170 crore actually spent — leaving ₹2,016 crore unutilised or diverted, according to Kale.
"This is not governance, it is deliberate neglect," he said. "Even with a Vidarbha native like Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister, western Maharashtra continues to dominate resource distribution."
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
He also criticised the stalled Wainganga-Nalganga river-linking project, which has seen its projected cost balloon from ₹60,000 crore to ₹85,000 crore while still being at the survey stage. "This is nothing but dust thrown in the eyes of Vidarbha's people," Kale remarked.
The statement was jointly issued by several prominent Vidarbha leaders and activists including Wamanrao Chatap, Arun Kedar, Prakash Pohare, Mukesh Masturkar, and Ganesh Sharma, who appealed to the region's residents to embrace the call for statehood.
"Only a separate Vidarbha can end this historic injustice," they said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
SC trashes plea challenging 2024 Maharastra polls
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition challenging the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections on grounds of alleged irregularities in votes cast after 6 p.m.. A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh refused to interfere with the decision of the Bombay High Court that had dismissed a writ petition claiming that nearly 76 lakh votes — 6.8 per cent of the total — were "illegally" cast after the official polling hours on November 20, 2024. In an order passed on June 25 this year, the Bombay HC had termed the writ petition —which relied on an RTI response obtained by activist Venkatesh Nayak stating that the Election Commission of India (ECI) did not have records of post-6 p.m. votes — a "gross abuse of the process of law". A bench of Justices G.S. Kulkarni and Arif S. Doctor had observed that petitioner Chetan Chandrakant Ahire, a voter from Mumbai's Vikhroli constituency, had no locus standi to challenge elections across all the constituencies in Maharashtra. "It is a relief, too far-fetched, that too on the basis of no cause of action as the facts clearly demonstrate," stated the Justice Kulkarni-led Bench in its judgement. It further disapproved the reliance on newspaper articles and third-party RTI applications, saying: "We are of the clear opinion that merely on political opinions or on unsubstantiated newspaper reports, a petition under Article 226 cannot at all be maintained." It added that "there is no other material whatsoever, much less of any authenticity, to the effect that there was any malpractice, fraud or complaint of any nature in regard to the voting at the closing hours of the poll, i.e. at about 6 p.m." The Bombay High Court had also rejected the prayer to revert to paper ballots, citing the Supreme Court rulings upholding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). "We have no manner of doubt that this writ petition needs to be summarily rejected. It is accordingly rejected. The hearing of this petition has practically taken the whole day, leaving aside our urgent cause list, and for such reason the petition would certainly warrant dismissal with cost, however, we refrain from doing so," the Justice Kulkarni-led Bench had observed.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Bombay HC quashes notice issued to HDFC MD by magistrate's court in defamation complaint
The Bombay High Court has quashed an order of a local court here issuing notice to HDFC Bank Ltd managing director and CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan over a defamation complaint lodged by the trustee of Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust . Independence Day 2025 Modi signals new push for tech independence with local chips Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave India its own currency A bench of Justice S M Modak , on August 5, said the magistrate ought to have first verified the complaint before issuing notice to the proposed accused. Prashant Mehta, permanent Trustee of Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust, had filed a private complaint before Girgaon judicial magistrate's court seeking registration of an offence against Jagdishan under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions pertaining to defamation. In June this year, the magistrate issued notice to Jagdishan, who then moved HC. In the order, a copy of which was made available on Monday, Justice Modak said as per law, until the verification is recorded, the stage of hearing of accused will not come. Live Events "There is a purpose of recording the verification. It gives an opportunity to the magistrate to ascertain whether to proceed further or not," HC said. Justice Modak, in the order, noted that after filing of a private complaint there has to be verification of the complainant and witnesses and before decision is taken on cognizance, the proposed accused needs to be heard. The order of issuance of notice is quashed and set aside, Justice Modak said, adding the magistrate was at liberty to proceed with the matter by recording the verification of the complainant and all witnesses, if any, and then pass the appropriate order. The Lilavati hospital trust had earlier lodged a case against the bank and Jagdishan accusing them of bribery and cheating.
Scroll.in
6 hours ago
- Scroll.in
MP Mohan Delkar's death: SC upholds order quashing case against UT administrator, others
The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a Bombay High Court order quashing the first information report against Dadra and Nagar Haveli administrator Praful Khoda Patel and others in connection with the death of independent MP Mohan Delkar in February 2021, Bar and Bench reported. A bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria confirmed the high court's September 2022 order and dismissed the appeal filed against it. Mohan Delkar, a seven-time parliamentarian from Dadra and Nagar Haveli, was found dead in a Mumbai hotel room on February 22, 2021. A 14-page suicide note was recovered from the room, which alleged that he had taken the step due to political pressure, Bar and Bench reported. On March 9, 2021, the police registered an FIR after his family filed a complaint on behalf of his son, Abhinav Delkar, The Indian Express reported. The complaint was registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to abetment of suicide, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act. The FIR alleged that the MP faced harassment from the Union Territory administration, purportedly at the behest of Patel, Bar and Bench reported. It alleged that he had been under pressure for a year before his death and was harassed by the administration to gain control of his educational institution and prevent him from contesting further elections, The Indian Express reported. However, in September 2022, the Bombay High Court quashed the first information report, ruling that it was a misuse of the process of law. While hearing the appeal, the Supreme Court had earlier expressed doubts about whether the material on record against the accused could make them liable for abetment to suicide.
