NCP MLAs staging a protest at the assembly wearing garland of onions.
The Maharashtra assembly today witnessed chaos over the falling onion prices and was adjourned for the day amid an uproar by the Opposition members.
The Opposition MLAs demanded a discussion on the farmers' issue in the assembly after Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced in the Legislative Council the state government was ready to provide grant to the onion producers.
Mr Fadnavis said the government is taking all measures to provide relief to the onion farmers by buying their produce.
Following two brief adjournments, the House was adjourned for the day amid Opposition uproar.
Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party MLAs staged a protest at the Maharashtra assembly wearing garland of onions.
The assembly protests come a day after the farmers stopped the auction at Asia's biggest onion market in Nashik district due to the falling prices. The protest at the Lasalgaon mandi in Nashik was called off in the evening following an assurance by a state minister.
BJP MLA Ram Kadam alleged that the protesting farmers were actually Congress and NCP workers.
Congress state chief Nana Patole accused the government of being anti-farmers. "If they are Congress workers, will you not help the farmers who support the Congress," he responded to Mr Kadam's allegations.
The wholesale prices of onions, which had been on a constant decline in the state, fell from Rs 4 to Rs 2 per kg yesterday, angering the farmers.
The onion growers have demanded an immediate grant of Rs 1,500 per quintal of onions and that the government buy their produce at Rs 15-20 per kg. Else, they would not let the auction resume at the mandi, said a representative.
But the onions fetched a minimum price of Rs 200 per quintal (Rs 2/kg) as soon as the auction opened for the week yesterday. The maximum was Rs 800 per quintal with the average being around Rs 400-450 per quintal.
Angered by this, the farmers had stopped the auction and staged a protest.
