Mumbai

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Thursday demanded Rs 1 lakh per hectare of financial assistance for drought-hit farmers in Maharashtra, and urged the state government to release pending aid under its schemes.

Talking to reporters here, Sule said her party chief Sharad Pawar had written a letter to the government, urging it to provide relief to farmers.

"Our intention is not to engage in hollow politics. We have maintained an attitude of cooperation because this is a time when humanity matters," she said.

The Baramati MP said farmers were facing serious difficulties due to drought and rising inflation, and called for assistance of Rs 1 lakh per hectare.

Banks should not harass farmers, she said, adding that employment-guarantee works should be initiated.

Referring to Namo Kisan as well as the Maharashtra government's farmer assistance schemes, Sule said the cultivators were entitled to annual assistance from both the Centre and the state.

She alleged that a portion of the state's contribution remained unpaid.

The state government has declared a drought across 305 out of 358 talukas in the state. Last week, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that an initial relief of Rs 5,000 will be deposited directly into farmers' bank accounts ahead of Diwali.

On the allegations of irregularities in the state legislative council's Graduates' and Teachers' constituency elections and a purported meeting at the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank, Sule said she would examine the available material before commenting.

"I do not want to get into allegations and counter-allegations against anyone. My point is that there is a system, and the country should function according to that system," the NCP (SP) working president said.

When asked about Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange's allegations against the BJP and the Shiv Sena regarding an audio clip about paying Rs 500 crore to him, she said she had not personally seen the video or understood its context.

"Whenever an allegation is levelled, it is appropriate to respond to it. But I have not personally seen the video or understood the context in which it was made. We should speak responsibly," she said.

Reacting to the alleged targeting of photographs of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's son Raihan, Sule said he should be viewed as a photographer in his own right rather than as a political leader's son.

"Why do you look at him only as Priyanka Gandhi's son? Why not see him as a talented Indian photographer?" she asked.

"If you want to fight politically, fight us. But it is wrong to target our children because of their parents," she said, condemning the incident.

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Sule also said that in a democracy everyone had the right to express an opinion, responding to predictions of a "regime change" in government within the next few months.