Governor urged to end Maharashtra legislature deadlock -IANS

Governor urged to end Maharashtra legislature deadlock

http://news.yahoo.com/governor-urged-end-maharashtra-legislature-deadlock-131417736.html

Nagpur, Dec 13 (IANS) A farmers' group Thursday appealed to Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan to urgently intervene to break the stalemate between the ruling and opposition parties to ensure proper functioning of thestate legislature.

In a letter to the governor, the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) expressed concern that both houses of the statelegislature are rendered non-functional during the ongoing fortnight long winter session here, even as the region faces crises in the farming sector.

VJAS chief Kishore Tiwari said that instead of discussing serious issues like the agrarian crises, farmers' suicides, malnutrition in the tribal areas and other challenges, the first four days of the session have been "wasted in verbal fights, gheraos and adjournments over trivial matters".

"It is alleged that legislators are only enjoying parties in clubs and resorts, which is just rubbing salt on the dying people of Vidarbha. When rural (Vidarbha) is getting less than eight hours power supply, there is mega-lighting and celebrations in Nagpur city," Tiwari said in his letter to the governor.

A copy of the letter has also been sent to President Pranab Mukherjee.

Tiwari said that the basic purpose of making Nagpur the second capital of Maharashtra - with the winter session being held here - is defeated as the core issues concerning Vidarbha are not being discussed.

"But all parties are making a mockery of the problems faced by farmers. We demand that Vidarbha should be given separate statehood," Tiwari demanded.

He added that while the allegations of corruption in relief packages which are already being invstigated, are being raised to get media attention, the legislature is not taking up other major issues like food security, health and educational help to the victims of the agrarian crisis in the region, including more than five million cotton farmers.

The state legislature was adjourned for the fourth consecutive day Thursday without transacting any business as the opposition parties stuck to their demand for appointing a special investigating team (SIT) to probe the alleged irrigation department scam.

The session started here Monday, preceded by opposition boycott of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan's customary session-eve tea party Sunday.

Barring the obituary references and some other mandatory issues, the houses have virtually remained non-functional with processions, walk-outs, disruptions and adjournments.

Vidarbha Farmers and Tribal urged Mah. Legislators to discuss serious issues of Region

                   

Vidarbha Farmers and Tribal urged Mah. Legislators to Discuss serious issues of Region

Nagpur-9th December 2012

First three days of most awaited Nagpur winter session has gone without any work and now all MLAs are set go back home and remaining legislators and babus  has already booked  near by resort near National Parks for enjoyments even in non working late night birthday parties are going on but most serious issue of cotton, soybean  and paddy  farmers and dying tribal are not being discussed moreover we are surprised that the agenda of opposition does not reflect issues of massive crop failure, land-water diversion and ill management MGNRGA ,NRHM ,ITDS,ICDS  and state Govt. plan to tackle the failure of  Crop, Cost and credit coupled with power projects congestion and tribal malnutrition hence thousands farm widows, distressed dying farmers of  vidarbha urging all legislators to discuss issue in house and come out bailout package to stop on going farmer suicides and tribal starvation in the vidarbha informed  Kishore Tiwari of farm advocacy group Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti today.

“Winter session being held in Nagpur so that core issues of vidarbha are discussed but now days it has been made mockery by all parties and issues are discussed more out side than in the house .The very serious issue of failure of all packages given in the name of debt trapped dying farmers is being in cashed for media focus but relief like food security, health and educational help to victims of agrarian crisis ,moreover basic issues of farm widows and family members of farmers who committed suicide  are neither solved nor even discussed in the house even after all panels all recommended the relief, we are optimistic that remaining days of already curtailed session will have time to discuss the crore issues of backward region” Tiwari added

Maharashtra financial survey followed Budget 2011-12 officially admitted more than 15% negative growth in Agriculture sector    which has badly lowered down GDP growth of Maharashtra is likely report record more than 20% minus negative growth as crops cotton , soybean, pluses , sugarcane and paddy  in more than 9 million hector have reported failure that is very serious issue before state but Scams have overshadow that main crisis state  , this will fuel  financial bankrupt state which debt is above 2 lakhs crore hence we demand status report from Maharashtra Govt. over issue and will press the demand for the same in Nagpur winter session to get bail out package for dying farmers informed , Tiwari added.

"The agrarian crisis related Cost-Crop-Credit has furthered widen to issues of land-water-ecological disorder due to hostile function of Maharashtra CM Prathviraj chavan who failed to give any relief dying vidarbha region moreover crisis has been spread to  Marathawada,  Khandesh and  north Maharashtra too.last year some districts shown positive growth but they under severe drought this year more over for the first time, Maharashtra has officially admitted that cotton yield is likely to reduce by nearly 40%. Bt cotton failure in more than 4 million hectares of land has reduced cotton yield from 3.5 million quintal to 2.2 million quintal. the report sent by the state agricultural department to the Centre states that the estimate of the net direct economic loss to cotton farmers in the state will be nearly Rs6,000 crore, whereas accumulated losses are likely to cross more than Rs20,000 crore due to a steep rise in cultivation costs' Tiwari said .

“We demand a compensation of Rs20,000 per hectare and fresh crop loans for every farmer for the ensuing kharif season. We also want food security and free health education, along with the implementation ofland development, soil enrichment and watershed development under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act,” he said.

He appealed to the government not to mock the farmers. “We hope the state relief packages actually help farmers this time instead of just benefiting contractors, politicians and Multinational agro majors like it has in the past.”

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अजित पवार यांची उपमुख्यमंत्री पदावर फेरनियुक्ती हे शेतकरयांच्या जखमेवर मीठच -विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समिती- तरुण भारत

अजित पवार यांची उपमुख्यमंत्री पदावर फेरनियुक्ती हे शेतकरयांच्या जखमेवरमीठच-विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समिती

तरुण भारत  वृत्तसेवा

यवतमाळ, ९ डिसेंबर

महाराष्ट्र सरकारने सिचन घोटाळ्यातील राष्ट्रवादी काँग्रेसचे वादग्रस्त नेते अजित पवार यांची उपमुख्यमंत्री पदावर फेरनियुक्ती करून विदर्भाच्या आत्महत्याग्रस्त शेतकरयांच्या पॅकेजमधील ३० हजार कोटी रुपयांच्या भ्रष्टाचारावर पांघरूण घालण्याचा प्रयत्न म्हणजे विदर्भातील ३० लाख नैराश्यग्रस्त व कर्जबाजारी शेतकरयांच्या जखमेवर मीठ चोळण्याचाच प्रकार आहे. विदर्भाचे शेतकरी या अपमानाचा वचपा काढतील, असा इशारा कापूस उत्पादक शेतकरयांच्या हक्कासाठी लढणारया विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने दिला आहे.

सिचनामधील हजारो कोटी रुपये मंत्र्यांनी आपल्या पदाचा दुरुपयोग करून भ्रष्ट मार्गानी वळविले. शेतकरयाचे पाणी व शेतकरयांच्या हक्काचे सिचनाचे क्षेत्र कट रचून कमी केले. याविषयी गंभीर स्वरूपाचे आरोप झाल्यानंतर व भ्रष्टाचाराचे पुरावे सिचन विभागाच्या उच्चपदस्थ अधिकारयांनी दिल्यानंतर अजित पवार यांनी लोकलाजेस्तव प्रसिद्धी माध्यम व जनआक्रोशाला शांत करण्यासाठी मुख्यमंत्री पृथ्वीराज चव्हाण व शरद पवार यांनी छुपा समझोता करून हे नाटक घडविले असल्याचे समितीने म्हटले आहे. अजित पवार व सुनील तटकरे यांच्यावर फौजदारी गुन्हे दाखल होऊन त्यांना तुरुंगाची हवा दाखविल्याशिवाय विदर्भाचे शेतकरी शांत बसणार नाही. आम्ही त्यांचा सारा भ्रष्टाचार न्यायालयाद्वारे अंतिम टोकापर्यंत नेऊ आणि आघाडी सरकारला नागडे करू, असा इशाराही विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी दिला.

महाराष्ट्राचे तत्कालीन व आजचे सिचन मंत्री अजित पवार व सुनील तटकरे यांच्यावर ५० हजार कोटींच्या सिचनाचे कंत्राट देताना मोठ्या प्रमाणात भ्रष्टाचार केल्याचे आणि मंत्र्यांनी सर्व नियम व कायदे धाब्यावर बसवून आत्महत्या करणारया शेतकरयांच्या टाळूवरचे लोणी खाण्याचा आरोप होत आहे. असे असताना आपली अडचण टाळण्यासाठी महाराष्ट्राच्या मुख्यमंत्र्यांनी सिचनाच्या सर्व वादावर श्वेतपत्रिका जाहीर करण्याचे सोंग घेतले होते, असे त्यांनी म्हटले आहे. या ‘योजने'तून मुख्यमंत्र्यांनी सर्व विरोधी पक्ष, प्रसार माध्यम व जनतेला शांत केले होते. त्यानंतर श्वेतपत्रिकेमध्ये भ्रष्टाचार करणारया मंत्र्यांवर गाज पडणार असा आवसुद्धा आणला होता. त्यानुसार महाराष्ट्राचे उपमुख्यमंत्री अजित पवार यांनी चारित्र्याचे डोहाळे घेत राजीनामासुद्धा दिला होता. मात्र सरकारने सिचन प्रकल्पावरील श्वेतपत्रिकेत सिचन प्रकल्पात गेल्या ८ वर्षांत झालेल्या भ्रष्टाचाराचा कोणताही उल्लेख केला नसून, एकूणच भ्रष्टाचाराच्या विषयाला संपूर्णपणे बगल दिली असल्याचा आरोप तिवारी यांनी केला आहे.

राष्ट्रवादी काँग्रेसचे आजीमाजी सिचन मंत्री अजित पवार व सुनील तटकरे यांना या सर्व प्रकरणात चारित्र्य प्रमाणपत्र देण्याच्या व दोषमुक्त आहे असे

दाखविण्याचाच महाराष्ट्र सरकारचा प्रयत्न आहे. विदर्भातील शेतकरी व आत्महत्याग्रस्त शेतकरी कुटुंबातील विधवा या प्रकाराचा निषेध करत

असून येत्या मंगळवार, ११ डिसेंबरला नागपूर विधान भवनासमोर श्वेतपत्रिकेची होळी करण्यात येणारअसल्याची माहिती विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे नेते किशोरतिवारी यांनी दिली आहे.

Maharashtra Agriculture Growth likely Report Record low-Scams shifted focus from Agrarian crisis – VJAS

Maharashtra Agriculture growth likely report record low-Scams shifted focus from Agrarian crisis  – VJAS

Nagpur-9th December 2012
Maharashtra financial survey followed Budget 2011-12 officially admitted more than 15% negative growth in Agriculture sector    which has badly lowered down GDP growth of Maharashtra is likely report record more than 20% minus negative growth as crops cotton , soybean,pluses , sugarcane and paddy  in more than 9 million hector have reported failure that is very serious issue before state but Scams have overshadow that main crisis state  , this will fuel  financial bankrupt state which debt is above 2 lakhs crore hence we demand status report from Maharashtra Govt. over issue and will press the demand for the same in Nagpur winter session to get bail out package for dying vidarbha farmers informed  Kishore Tiwari of farm advocacy group Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti today..

"The agrarian crisis related Cost-Crop-Credit has furthered widen to issues of land-water-ecological disorder due to hostile function of Maharashtra CM Prathviraj chavan who failed to give any relief dying vidarbha region moreover crisis has been spread to  Marathawada,  Khandesh and  north Maharashtra too .last year some districts shown positive growth but they under severe drought this year more over for the first time, Maharashtra has officially admitted that cotton yield is likely to reduce by nearly 40%. Bt cotton failure in more than 4 million hectares of land has reduced cotton yieldfrom 3.5 million quintal to 2.2 million quintal. the report sent by the state agricultural department to the Centre states that the estimate of the net direct economic loss to cotton farmers in the state will be nearly Rs6,000 crore, whereas accumulated losses are likely to cross more than Rs20,000 crore due to a steep rise in cultivation costs' Tiwari said .

The powerful Ajit Pawar is back as deputy chief minister after a little over two months and much drama; and everyone in Maharashtra knew what the climax would be but it has seriously insulted the sentiments of vidarbha cotton and 10,000 families where farmers committed suicides since 2005 and it is just rubbing salt to the wounds of victims of vidarbha agrarian crisis ,we will protest the move will see that he is shown his real position after mega irrigation scam , alleged  Kishore Tiwari urging the Indian prime minister to initiate the action .

We are  surprising and neither was the white paper issued by the water works department, headed by an NCP minister who too faces corruption charges. The white paper gave Mr Pawar a clean chit, paving the way for his return but main issue of corruption is stillpending and Govt. can not cover up the issue like this which will trigger the irrigation crisis hence our protest, Tiwari added.

'Due to rise in the prices of Bt cotton seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and labour since last year has had a huge impact. “The agrarian crisis sweeping through the state due to Bt cotton failure has only widened. Unlike when cotton crop failure was reported only from Vidarbha and Marathawada, reports of such crop failure are now coming in from Khandesh in north Maharashtra, too,National Crime Records Bureau reveals that the number of farmer suicides in Maharashtra are likely to cross 5,000 this year in comparison to the 3,500 last year. The figures last year were, in fact, the highest among all states in India.This is the third year in a row that Bt cotton failure is being reported in Mahahrashtra. Last year, the state paid Rs2,000 crore to 4 million cotton farmers as compensation. Unlike earlier when dry land farmers were affected, even areas with adequate irrigation are facing a crop loss this year.according to state records, Maharashtra grows Bt cotton in 4.2 million hectares of land. This is the largest among all cotton-producing states. Even thenit has been reporting lowest cotton yield of about 5 quintal per hectare since 2006. The latest official estimate says this is likely to fall to 3 quintal per hectare. “This means a net loss of more than Rs38,000 per hectare!” points out Tiwari. 

“We demand a compensation of Rs20,000 per hectare and fresh crop loans for every farmer for the ensuing kharif season. We also want food security and free health education, along with the implementation ofland development, soil enrichment and watershed development under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act,” he said.

He appealed to the government not to mock the farmers. “We hope the state relief packages actually help farmers this time instead of just benefiting contractors, politicians and multinational agro majors like it has in the past.”

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Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti opposed to cash transfer scheme - The Times of India

Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti opposed to cash transfer scheme - The Times of India

By Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN | Dec 5, 2012, 11.54 AM IST

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Vidarbha-Jan-Andolan-Samiti-opposed-to-cash-transfer-scheme/articleshow/17489007.cms

NAGPUR: 5th December2012

The proposed direct cash transfer scheme of subsidy to beneficiaries will adversely affect 10 million tribals and poor people Vidarbha, said Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJS), warning that if the scheme is implemented in Vidarbha, it will also cause massive deforestation.

Tiwari has urged the Centre to suspend the scheme till its implications are not considered and legal status coupled with constitutional validity ofAadhar cards is not approved by Parliament.

The UPA government is planning to give cash to buy food from the market to beneficiaries of Annapurna andAnotyadaya schemes. However, Tiwari warned of food security problem for tribals and other families covered under BPL category.

"Moreover, reducing kerosene quota drastically will lead to large-scale felling of forests. The scheme has not worked well for 25,000 households in Kotkasim, a block in Rajasthan's Alwar district bordering Haryana," said Tiwari.

Our experience has been that beneficiaries will not be able to access the accounts in which the government transfers the money. "Wages under MGNREGA and pension to old widows does not reach them. So what is the guarantee that cash transferred to beneficiary accounts will be utilized for the same purpose," asked Tiwari.

The VJS leader fears this is an attempt to end public distribution system (PDS) to benefit multinationals. The plans to extend cash transfer scheme to food and cooking gas subsidies will also hurt the poor, who should not be left at the mercy of market forces.

The year-old pilot programme on cash transfer in Kotkasim has failed miserably. Most residents complain they did not receive money for one year or at the best got one of the four instalments.

Tiwari said there is a constitutional question mark over validity of much-hyped Aadhar cards too. It cannot be the sole proof for the government scheme for direct transfer of cash to a poor person's account, as banks are not ready to accept Aadhar cards as ID proof, he said.

Direct Cash Transfer Scheme in PDS is invitation to Starvation Death of Malnourish Tibals and Massive Deforestation-VJAS

Direct Cash Transfer Scheme in PDS is invitation to Starvation Death of Malnourish Tibals and Massive Deforestation-VJAS  

Nagpur -3^rd December 2012

Direct cash transfer scheme of subsidy amount to the beneficiaries will adversely effect food starved vidarbha 10 million tribal and down trodden people as cash given to buy food from the market is likely to diverted and families who getting food under Annapurna and Anotyadaya  are likely to face starvation and will take away existing food security  to majority tribal and backward families presently covered under BPL category of  PDS scheme more over reducing kerosene quota drastically has already started massive illicit cutting of forest and having seen the failure of The year-old pilot programme on cash transfers of 25,000 households In Kotkasim, a block in Rajasthan's Alwar district that borders Haryana, now if same is implemented in vidarbha  will invite massive deforestation hence we are urging Indian Govt. to suspend the scheme till it’s all implication are not considered and legal status coupled constitutional validity  of Aadhaar cards being prepared by the Unique Identification Authority is not approved by  law makers in the parliament ,Kishore Tiwari Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed in press release today.

“ We are informed that the central decision lunch scheme for direct cash transfer of subsidy amount to the beneficiaries as  poor people will not be able to access their accounts in which the government will transfer the money as it has been our experience that  wages under MGNREGA and old aged –widows  pension of the people does not reaching them, what is the guarantee that cash will transferred to their accounts on time and will utilized for the purpose ,this is attempt to end the Public Distribution System which would benefit the corporations. The plans to extend the cash transfer scheme to food and cooking gas subsidies, would hurt the poor as poor cannot be left to the mercy of market forces hence we are protesting the scheme ” Tiwari said

It is reported that the year-old pilot programme on cash transfers of 25,000 households In Kotkasim, a block in Rajasthan's Alwar district that borders Haryana has been failed miserably , the numbers tell a revealing story. Kerosene sales here have plummeted by over 70% as across the block, most residents said they had either received no money for one year, or at best just one of four instalments. A ground-level assessment of this pilot project for cash transfer — whereby beneficiaries would get money in their account rather than subsidized goods — is instructional in many ways has failed as residents of Kotkasim's five panchayats say it's persistent delays in the subsidy money reaching them which has made buying kerosene too expensive now they use firewood to cook, and candles when the electricity goes, which is for over half the day and  households  bank passbooks show they have not  received a single rupee in subsidy yet, hence we want Indian parliament should review the scheme and protect tribal and poor ,Tiwari said .

There is  big constitutional  question mark over legal validity  of the much hyped Aadhaar cards being prepared by the Unique Identification Authority which is functioning without any status and rules  which will be the sole proof for the government's scheme for direct transfer of cash to a poor person's account where in Bankers are not ready to use Aadhaar cards  as  ID proof as thousands fraudulent Aadhaar cards  are being issued with out any due verification by authorities and few hand people in planning commission are going ahead with distribution of UID numbers and cards to citizens is, bypassing Parliament as collection of personal data by the government not only violated the citizen's fundamental right to privacy but was also an executive act in overreach of Parliament, where National Identification Authority of India Bill, 2010, was still pending for consideration.It is matter of serious concern that methodology and procedure adopted to  the grant of UID numbers and Aadhaar cards is much haphazard and non-transparent  even   illegal migrants are getting very easily UID numbers and Aadhaar cards . Indian parliament should make law for Unique Identification Number Project proposed to give UID numbers not only to citizens and a scheme framed by the government through an executive order of January 28, 2009 should be scraped .UID number and it’s procedure is presently overpowered the  right to privacy to citizen guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution and Collecting biometric information as a condition precedent for the issue of Aadhaar card is an invasion of right to privacy of citizens and thereby this can only be done by a law enacted by Parliament and beyond the executive power hence this objection ,Tiwari said..

“White Paper” on Irrigation scam is Eyewash attempt to save Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare :Vidarbha Farm widows to burn copies of “White Paper”

“White Paper” on Irrigation scam is Eyewash attempt to save Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare :Vidarbha Farm widows to burn copies of “White Paper”

NAGPUR: 30 November 30, 2012

Most awaited ‘white Paper’ on irrigation massive scam in which ministers floated rules to siphoned our Rs.50,000 crore money spent on irrigation project has turned out to be another hoax and now it’s hostile attempt on Mahrashtra Govt. to protect involved ministers  Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare and give them clean chit as white paper has been salient on these issues raised by media, activist and senior irrigation officials who has raised serious questions on the functioning of these ministers which has forced Ajit pawar to step down  as Dy.Chief Minister  of Maharashtra ,will have very serious implication over creditability of Maharashtra CM, alleged Vidarbha farmers pressure group Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti  president Kishore Tiwari urging the Indian prime minister to initiate the action .

“It was expected when media exposed the corruption followed by activist and opposition, Maharashtra Govt. managed to give impression that truth of massive Rs.50,000 crore irrigation scam will be placed before the nation and ministers and Babus involved in corruption will have to face prosecution but web copy  of white paper disappointed us that there is baseless data has discussed but nothing about the scam and fixing of it’s accountability is even referred hence this is bankrupt attempt of administration to cover up the historic scam which is directly related massive farmers genocide amounting more than 30,000 in last decade as per NCRB report in Maharashtra .we will protest the Govt. move and will start agitation against Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare  till they jailed ,hundreds of farm widows who are victims of vidarbha agrarian crisis will burn the copy of this fabricated ‘white paper’ on 11^th December and will distribute “Black Paper” irrigation scam in which NCP ministers and Ajit Pawar, directly involved ,we will atke this issue to it’s logical conclusion” Tiwari added.  

When Prime Minister Dr.Man Mohansingh declared Rs.3750 crore on 1^st July 2006 at Nagpur a special vidarbha relief package in which he e more than Rs.2800 crore for increasing irrigation facility in order to stop on going farmer suicides promising more fund flow for completing all pending irrigation projects of vidarbha ,it was never thought that even Rs.30,000 crore given for irrigation project will be siphoned out and condition as per irrigation facilities are concerned are more worst in 2012 than 2006 ,thanks to the super power minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare resulting more than 7116 vidrabha farmers suicides after July 2006  which case of mass genocide of vidarbha farmers inviting criminal prosecution of Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare ,Tiwari said

‘In fact irrigation Vidarbha for years suffered neglect under irrigation department run by western Maharashtra politicians but irrigation scam of  state's deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar who was state's irrigation minister from 1999 to 2009 and also ex-officio chairman of VIDC and then Sunil Tatkare  is massive one as  38 ongoing irrigation schemes by increasing their estimated costs by over four times to Rs 26,722.23 crore from the original Rs 6672.27 crore. This happened in a single year - 2009 - with a majority of approvals given in three months, between June and August, just a couple of months before the state elections by going  out of the way to favour a group of contractors that included Rajya Sabha member Ajay Sancheti, Sancheti who has a major stake in irrigation business is reported to be also close to Pawar. A group of contractors including Sancheti, Avinash Bhosle of Pune who was named in CIDCO land scam and Yavatmal MLC Sandip Bajoria ,MLC Mitesh Bangadiya, a contractor are among the chosen few to have got mobilization advance even though there was no such clause in original tender document. It is highly shocking MP Ajay Sancheti circumvented the rules to bag contracts hence we demand criminal action against all are involved in this irrigation scam amounting more tha Rs.30,000 crore’ Kishore Tiwari  added.

‘if money given for these irrigation project ,debt trapped and distressed vidarbha farmer would have been benefited and farmer suicides would have been stopped but all money to increase irrigation facility has taken away by these minister who are the killer of these vidarbha farmers hence criminal action against these ministers and contractors is must’ Tiwari added .