AIKS Maharashtra Holds Statewide Land Rights Convention at Sambhajinagar, Gives Call for Struggle on June 1

The Statewide Land Rights Convention organised by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) Maharashtra unit on 13 May 2025 at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) gave a clarion call to hold large mass actions on 1 June at district and tehsil centres in the state on burning land-related issues like the vesting of lakhs of acres of forest, temple trust, inaam, pasture and other lands in the names of the tillers, and an end to the indiscriminate, arbitrary, and unjust land acquisition by the BJP-led central and state governments for unnecessary highways and other elitist projects.

The Land Rights Convention was held in the Hall named after former AIKS National President Krantisinh Nana Patil, who was also the legendary leader of the Satara Parallel Government against British rule from 1943-46. Sambhajinagar is the capital of the Marathwada region and is almost in the geographical centre of Maharashtra. The hall was jam-packed with over 500 delegates from 18 districts, including several women.

The flag-hoisting by AIKS National President Dr Ashok Dhawale was followed by floral tributes to martyrs, and condolence to the innocent Indians killed by terrorists in Pahalgam and during the later shelling by Pakistan at the border.

The Convention was inaugurated by AIKS National General Secretary Vijoo Krishnan, who placed in detail the AIKS national perspective on the land question. Lauding the legacy of the glorious anti-feudal struggles led by the AIKS in the 1940s, he attacked the government-corporate land grab conspiracy which must be resisted.

The main resolution of the Convention was placed by AIKS State General Secretary Dr Ajit Nawale and it was seconded by AIKS State President Umesh Deshmukh. It dealt with the main land-related issues and demands in Maharashtra. It was given in printed form to all the delegates.

The state has had a long and glorious history of land struggles, beginning with the famed AIKS-led Warli Adivasi Revolt in Thane-Palghar district of 1945-47, the iconic Kisan Long March from Nashik to Mumbai of 2018, and many other struggles thereafter.

14 delegates from across the state spoke effectively on various land issues on the basis of their rich experience of struggle.

The young two-term MLA of the CPI(M) from Dahanu (ST) in Palghar district, Vinod Nikole in his address promised to raise his voice in the State Assembly in support of all Kisan struggles.

The concluding speech was by AIKS National President Dr Ashok Dhawale, who gave a brief historical analysis of the crucial struggle on the land question. He called for intensifying the struggle of poor peasants and agricultural workers manifold for their land rights, and against the domestic and foreign corporate lobby, which represented the new landlordism in India today. He also attacked the disastrous anti-farmer and anti-people trade deals that were being discussed and inked by the Modi regime with the UK, EU, and USA.

A newly published AIKS Maharashtra booklet comprising the documents and speeches at the AIKS Statewide Women Farmers Convention held at Nashik was released by all the women delegates.

The state council thanked the AIKS unit in Sambhajinagar, led by Adv Bhagwan Bhojane and Dr Bhausaheb Zirpe who, with the help of the CITU, MSMRA, SFI, and DYFI, had made excellent arrangements for this convention.