Reach SoBo before 6 am: State tells farmers – Mumbai Mirror

Hours before thousands of marching farmers were to proceed further into the city and execute their plan of gheraoing the Vidhan Bhavan today, confusion reigned supreme about where the kisan morcha will end and whether it will end up inconveniencing students out to appear for their SSC exams.

Sensing massive traffic chaos and harassment of the examinees, the state government came up with a last-minute plan of asking the farmers, who commenced the 180- km long march from Nashik on March 6 and entered the city yesterday, to start by 1 am and reach Azad Maidan by 6 am on Monday. But while some leaders of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), which is spearheading the protest in favour of a host of demands, including complete farm loan waiver, claimed that they would recommence their march from Somaiya Ground, Chunabhatti — their halt for the night — only at 10 am today, others said that they could toe the police line and reach Azad Maidan at night itself.

Medical education minister Girish Mahajan said, “We had first requested the farmers to end their march at Chunabhatti grounds and a delegation could come and meet the CM in Vidhan Bhavan. But they refused. Finally, we told them to move early to Azad Maidan in the night itself so that the examinees are not affected. Let us see how they respond. We have spoken to police and done all arrangements at Azad Maidan.”

The marchers reach Ghatkopar; farmers take a bath at Anandnagar in Mulund while
policewomen catch on their sleep (PICS: SURAJ GAUDA AND SACHIN DESHMANE)

Kaisan Gujar l, state president of AIKS, however, told Mumbai Mirror earlier in the day, “Till now, the plan is that we will assemble at Somaiya Ground. More people will join us there. At 10 am on Monday, we will start walk towards Vidhan Bhavan. We have no idea if police will allow us to go to Vidhan Bhavan or not, but we are firm that we will walk till there.”

He added that they decided to resume the march at 10 am instead early morning because of the SSC examination.

Later at night, Ashok Dhawale, national president AIKS, said that they might actually walk to Azad Maidan in the night itself. “Most likely, we will march to Azad Maidan tonight. But the final call will be taken only when the rallyists reach Somaiya Ground.”

Education minister Vinod Tawde on Sunday advised the SSC candidates to take necessary steps to reach the exam centres on time. “In light of #KisanLongMarch, #SSC students appearing for exams tomorrow are advised to ensure that they reach exam centres well beforehand to avoid delays. Concerned officials are hereby instructed to ensure safety & well-being of the students, safeguarding their academic future,” Tawde tweeted.

Subhash Borse, secretary of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Mumbai division, told Mirror that they will ensure that the students didn’t miss the exam.

“We will speak to the heads of examination centres in the morning to take stock of the situation. There is no change in any arrangements as of now,” Borse added.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis called a meeting at his residence to review the state’s preparedness. Sources in the CMO said that Commissioner of Police DD Padsalgikar informed Fadnavis that the city would witness massive traffic snarls today and some untoward incidents cannot be ruled out either.

The CM is learnt to have said in the meeting that the government was sympathetic to the demands of the farmers and has constituted a six-member committee to look into the issues faced by the farmers.

There were also conflicting claims on the number of farmers taking part in the rally. While police sources pegged the number of participants at over 15,000 workers, the AIKS said that 40,000 farmers and adivasis had marched till Somaiya Ground yesterday night.

“Thousands of protesters from Kunbi Sena and Shetkari Kamgar Party will join us on Monday,” Gujar said.

Like all other protests and agitations, this one too has led to a game of political one-upmanship. The Shiv Sena, a partner in the state government but a bitter critic of the BJP, is openly supporting the morcha. Interestingly, the CPI(M) has been always opposed to Sena.

But Sena leader Eknath Shinde has been walking with the protesters since the past three days. “They are our people. I have organised meals and water for them. We have also arranged toilet blocks from Thane Municipal Corporation,” Shinde said.

Raj Thackeray-led MNS has also jumped into the bandwagon. It organised water tankers for the farmers to bathe. Raj was supposed to address the farmers on Sunday evening, but his nephew and Sena youth leader Aaditya Thackeray outsmarted him and walked with the farmers at Vikhroli.