NASIK, India, 4 April 2006 — Angered by federal agriculture minister and NCP President Sharad Pawar not mentioning the declining onion prices and suicides by farmers in his speech at a function here on Sunday evening, more than 60,000 enraged onion growers rained onions on the dais.
Pawar and other dignitaries ducked to avoid the hail of onions for a time. Later the NCP leader was escorted out by police.
Pawar was here with Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil and PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal to attend a seminar on pomegranate organized by All India Pomegranate Producers Association and Vasantdada Cooperative Sugar Factory at Vithewadi.
Pawar was visibly shaken, for the attack on him was staged in a region that had supported him unconditionally, trusting him as the only sincere leader of the farmers. Pawar made the mistake of giving the farmers a sermon as to how they should prepare themselves to deal with globalization and advising them to ensure that their children took to other occupation. “Send one of your children to the fields and dispatch the others to different sectors,” Pawar told the farmers. This was when the farmers lost their patience and rained him with onions.
The farmers expected their leaders, including Pawar, to talk about the onion crisis, but not a single leader spoke about the crashing onion prices. Sunday’s action, the farmers said, is a part of series of protests they plan to highlight their woes with onion prices dropping to 150 rupees a quintal in the local market as against the normal price of 450 rupees.
