States » WestPosted at: Sep 24 2026 11:47AM


Mockery of Annadatta: Oppn slams CM's drought tour as staged photo-op

Mumbai, Sep 24 (UNI) The political row over agrarian distress in Maharashtra escalated sharply on Thursday as senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar lashed out at the ruling government, dismissing the Chief Minister’s ongoing drought-inspection tour as a staged "event management" stunt.
Targeting the administration over what he termed a "lack of empathy", Wadettiwar expressed deep outrage at the use of withered crops displayed on tables for official photo-ops during field visits.
He denounced the optics as an "impudent insult" to the state's farming community, stating that it amounted to rubbing salt into the wounds of crisis-hit cultivators.
The opposition leader further criticised the heavy security deployment surrounding the interactions, particularly the use of metal detectors for checking farmers.
Questioning the administration's approach, he remarked that treating distressed citizens like suspects demonstrated unprecedented alienation from the ground reality.
Rejecting camera-friendly optics and unfulfilled assurances, the Congress has pressed the state government to immediately declare a drought and disburse direct financial relief to affected farmers.
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Tags: #Mockery of Annadatta: Oppn slams CM's drought tour as staged photo-op
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