Overview

• BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar told a public gathering that farmers owe their clothes, shoes, mobile phones and sowing funds to government schemes such as the Ladki Bahin Yojana and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.
• Opposition leaders from Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP(SP) condemned the comments as tasteless and undemocratic, urging Lonikar to apologise or face party suspension.
• Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis publicly distanced the government from Lonikar’s statement and emphasised that elected officials are servants, not owners, of the people.
• Under pressure, Lonikar issued an apology, saying he had meant to refer only to a few critics and expressing regret to all farmers.
• The incident has stirred debate over the political framing of welfare schemes and could shape voter sentiment ahead of Maharashtra’s upcoming local elections.