Will stop milk, vegetable supply to cities from June 7 if demands not met: Farmers’ body | The Indian Express
A day after they gheraoed offices of district collectors across the state, members of the Kisan Sangarsh Samiti, led by All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), on Saturday threatened to stop the supply of milk and vegetables to cities from June 7.
Office-bearers of the Samiti said they had given a call for farmers’ strike on last June 1 over demands, including complete farm loan waiver, minimum support price for farm produce as well as implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission and provisions of the Forest Rights Act, among others.
“The government has failed to act on our demands. So, we held a farmers’ march from Nashik to Mumbai. But still the government did not do anything in the last three months,” said Ashok Dhawale, president of AIKS.
Kisan Sangharsh Samiti includes associations such as AIKS, Prahar Sangathana, Bhumiputra Shetkari Sangathana, Sharad Joshi Vicharmanch and others.
Speaking at the Marathi Patrakar Sangh near Azad Maidan, Dhawale said farmers had protested in May over low milk prices and distributed milk free of cost to the people. “As a result, we gheroed tehsil and district collector offices across the state on Friday. It was also to commemorate one year of farmers’ strike,” he added.
Ajit Nawale, state general secretary of AIKS, “So, we will present the tur imported from Mozambique, sugar imported from Pakistan and milk imported from Gujarat and Karnataka to CM Devendra Fadnavis on June 5.”
Nawale added: “If the government still doesn’t act on our demands, we would urge farmers to take matters into their own hands. From June 7, they should stop supply of milk and vegetables. If the government still doesn’t act, then we will hold rasta roko across the state on June 10.”
Asked about the ongoing strike by the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh from Friday, the leaders said they extended their support to the agitation since it is also being held on farmers’ issues. “While theirs is a strike, our’s is a protest. There were views that political alternative could only resolve farmers’ issues but we didn’t agree to it. Hence, we are carrying out a separate protest,” said Nawale.
Four trains were cancelled and many delayed after tripping was reported between Bhayander and Virar station on the Western Railway. Officials from WR said the same was restored within half an hour.
