RR Patil and Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil say making pro-opium farming bytes will encourage anti-social activities.
Home Minister RR Patil and agriculture minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil have ruled out legalising opium farming in the state, unlike a few parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
The home minister said a high-level probe will be conducted to dig out the scam behind opium farming. Patil and Vikhe-Patil made these statements at different functions respectively in Sangli and Kolhapur.
Shetkari Sanghatana and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana have been demanding to legalise opium farming after the police raided illicit poppy farms in Beed and Sangli districts.
Addressing the media in Sangli, Patil said, “The farmers’ demand to legalise poppy cultivation is not in the interests of society. On the contrary, the statements made by farmers’ leaders will encourage anti-social activities. Opium is a narcotic substance and its cultivation is banned. Hence, such demands reflect the irresponsibility of farmers’ leaders.” Supporting the police action, Patil said that a separate inquiry will carried out to find lapses on the part of the police, revenue and agriculture departments that resulted in spreading the trend of opium cultivation.
Meanwhile in Kolhapur, while inaugurating a festival, Vikhe-Patil told reporters that opium is banned for many years and cannot be legalised.
“There are many other crops which can fetch good money to farmers,” he said.
“Only a probe will reveal whether the farmers cultivated opium out of ignorance or for trafficking. We will decide on the suspected farmers after getting the inquiry report,” he said.
Vikhe-Patil said that the police, revenue and agriculture departments should work together to control opium cultivation.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}