Pune: State Water Resource Minister Vijay Shivtare, on Wednesday, warned insurance companies to clear the crop insurance claims of farmers before August 15. 

Shivtare said that if the companies failed to do so, he will launch a massive protest against these companies. 

Following the protest over the issue by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday, about 300 protesters and members of Shiv Sena protested outside the office of a private insurance player in Commerce Zone on Yerwada Jail Road. 

Police officials had closed one-way traffic on the road to maintain law and order. 

A large number of vehicles were present on the road, which led to traffic chaos as the Commerce Zone also houses several IT companies. 

Thackeray has asked crop insurance companies to clear the claims of farmers within 15 days. The Shiv Sena supremo held a protest march from his residence ‘Matoshree’ in Mumbai to the office of a crop insurance company in Mumbai’s Bandra area. 

Political leaders Shrirang Barne and Shivaji Adhalrao Patil were present for the protest in Yerawada. 

The protesters, as a symbol of protest, carried out the last rites of insurance companies. 

One of the protesters said that due to drought and delayed monsoon, farmers are under financial stress and to top that, insurance companies are failing to give them their crop insurance claims. 

“Insurance companies are cheating these farmers and, hence, we decided to protest,” said the protester. 

A large number of police officials from Yerawada and Vishrantwadi police stations were deployed at the spot to maintain law and order in the area.