India's Nationalist Congress chief Sharad Pawar joins protest against onion export ban

Nationalist Congress party (NCP) chief and former union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on Monday joined street protests by farmers against the export ban on onions at Chandwad in Nashik district.

"The BJP government at the center has no respect for the hard work of farmers and that's why it takes policy decisions against the interests of farmers," said Pawar, assuring farmers that he would raise the issue in parliament.

Leading a road blockade staged by farmers at the protest spot, he said, "We do not like to block the road, but we have been forced to do so by the union government." He also took digs at meetings among BJP leaders after he announced his decision to join the protest on Monday.

Pawar said there was nothing wrong if farmers were earning more due to high onion prices and people should tolerate such temporary high prices as the share of onion in the total food expenditure of a family was negligible.

"If some people think that onion prices are too high, they should not eat it for some time. But farmers should get their right to earn from their produce," said Pawar. He noted that the export ban had resulted in huge losses for onion farmers, and they had been pushed into financial crisis.

The veteran leader recollected how Sharad Joshi had organised farmers against low prices of agricultural products including onions and forced the government to take cognisance of unity of farmers a few decades ago.

"Farmers were already in distress due to drought and hailstorms. Now, the BJP government is taking such decisions. Farmers should show their strength to the government. I will not rest until the government lifts the export ban," said Pawar.