Gadchiroli, Maharashtra:

Alleged Naxals have threatened Maharashtra Food and Drugs Minister Dharmaraobaba Atram in a pamphlet found in eastern Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district, police said on Tuesday.

Dharmaraobaba Atram is the MLA from Aheri in the Naxal-affected district.

The pamphlet, from “Shrinivas” of “Paschim Sub Zonal Bureau”, accused Dharmaraobaba Atram and his relative of being “agents” of the Surjagadh steel project and appealed people to protest against them. It also warned the minister to stop “anti-people work”.

Speaking to reporters, Dharmaraobaba Atram said the Surjagadh project provides employment to thousands of people and has brought development to the district. He did not heed such threats, he added.

Gadchiroli superintendent of police Nilotpal told PTI that the police are looking into the matter seriously. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Maharashtra Minister Dada Bhuse. File
| Photo Credit: Vivek Bendre

Amid protests by farmers and traders against the Centre’s decision to impose 40% export duty on onions, Maharashtra Minister Dada Bhuse has claimed it would make no difference if people did not consume the staple vegetable for two to four months.

The State PWD minister, however, also said on Monday that the decision to impose export duty should have been taken with proper coordination.

The Union government on August 19 imposed 40% duty on the export of onions to check price rise and improve supplies in the domestic market.

The Finance Ministry through a notification imposed the 40% export duty on onions till December 31, 2023.

“When you use a vehicle worth ₹10 lakh, you can buy produce at a higher rate by ₹10 or ₹20 than the retail rate. Those who cannot afford to buy onion, it would make no difference if they do not eat it for two-four months,” Mr. Bhuse said.

He also said the decision to impose export duty should have been taken with proper coordination.

“Sometimes onion fetches rates of ₹200 per quintal while sometimes it attracts ₹2,000 per quintal. A discussion can be held and an amicable solution can be found,” Bhuse said.

Earlier on Monday, traders decided to close onion auctions indefinitely in all the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) in Nashik, including at Lasalgaon, which is the largest wholesale onion market in India.

The Nashik District Onion Traders Association had given the call to not take part in onion auctions indefinitely till the Centre rolls back its decision, sources said.

Several farmers and traders held protests across the district seeking a rollback of the export duty.