Former Bhandara-Gondiya MP Nana Patole, who resigned from the BJP and joined the Congress earlier this year, today demanded that FIRs be lodged against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for "deceiving" farmers.
He was speaking at a farmers' rally organised at the Tiranga Chowk here which was also attended by Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana chief and Hatkanangle Lok Sabha MP Raju Shetti.
The rally culminated in the leaders carrying out a "panchnama" (record of observation carried out while probing a crime) and submitting a memorandum, demanding FIRs, to Yavatmal Superintendent of Police M Rajkumar.
Patole, addressing the rally, said that a case should be registered against Modi and Fadnavis, as well as the state cabinet, under sections 420 (cheating), 307 (attempt to murder) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code on behalf of Maharashtra's farmers.
Shetti also criticised the BJP-led government at the Centre and the state and called them "non-performing".
"The state government had promised various relief to farmers but nothing has materialised," Shetti said, further alleging that the Centre was allowing corporate bigwigs to amass wealth and flee the country after duping banks.
He said the "dictatorship" of the Modi government could no longer be "tolerated".
Patole claimed that he resigned as BJP Lok Sabha MP because Modi, as well as Fadnavis, were not "willing" to help farmers.
Patole, who won the 2014 Lok Sabha poll from Bhandara-Gondiya on a BJP ticket, fell out with the party and resigned from the Lok Sabha and the BJP in December last year.
He joined the Congress in the January this year.
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