Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Shiv Sena (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray launched a “Hambarda” rally on Saturday (October 11, 2025) in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, against the Mahayuti government’s recently announced flood relief package, calling it a “big joke” and demanding a “complete loan waiver” for farmers affected by floods and rainfall across the State.
Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for announcing the “fraudulent” package for farmers, who are in dire need of aid, while addressing a public meeting at the Gulmandi in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.
He challenged Mr. Fadnavis to provide ₹1 lakh to farmers before Diwali, as he announced “₹3.5 lakh aid through MNREGA” in the package. “When farmer asks for their rights, they say don’t do politics; these are the same farmers whose votes are used for politics. What kind of government is this?” he asked.
On the demand of ₹50,000 per hectare, Mr. Thackeray said, “The farmer has to pay the loan instalments for the last season. The returns from the harvesting would have been used to pay a partial loan amount, enabling him to receive a loan for the rabi season. However, the burden of EMI will increase next year as he still has to repay it despite the temporary exemption. In this case, farmers will never get back on their feet.”
Days ago, the government announced a ₹31,628 crore flood relief package for farmers, providing total assistance of ₹48,000 per hectare. The government also mentioned that the decision on loan waiver will be taken in “due course”. Since then, the opposition and farmers have been demanding a loan waiver and an increase in the crop compensation.
Mr. Thackeray highlighted the agriculture experts’ analysis, which underlines that only “₹6500 crores of help are provided under the ₹31,628 crores package”.
He also called out Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not mentioning farmers during his visit to Mumbai for the Navi Mumbai airport inauguration.
In response, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde attacked Mr. Thackeray and called his rally a “display of crocodile tears”. He alleged that Mr. Thackeray is exploiting farmers’ distress for political gain. ‘A person who never left his home, how could he take out a rally for farmers? They cry foul whenever the power is not in their hands,” said Mr. Shinde, describing the provisions under the flood relief package.
Published – October 12, 2025 05:53 am IST
