Farmers call off 200-km march after govt steps in
Around 50,000 farmers, who kicked off a 200-km march from Nashik to Mumbai on Thursday to protest against what they called a “betrayal” by the BJP governments in the state and the Centre, called off their agitation at night after the state promised to meet all their demands.
The farmers, who had gathered under the aegis of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and the CPI(M), had set out on the second phase of the Kisan Long March after initial talks with the state government on Wednesday failed.
The rally was set to end in Mumbai on February 27, coinciding with the budget session of the state Assembly.
However, the AIKS called off the agitation on the first day of the protest itself after deliberation of almost five hours with Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan and Minister of State for Tourism Jaikumar Rawal at Ambewada. After walking for around 14 km, the farmers had halted for lunch in Ambewada, where Mahajan and Rawal met them for negotiations.
The farmers were represented by AIKS president Ashok Dhawale, CPI(M) MLA Jiva Pandu Gavit and general secretary of AIKS Ajit Navale.
The farmers, who started from Nashik with a plan to reach city on Feb 27, halted at Ambewada after walking for 14 hours
The leaders insisted on written assurances of fulfilment of their demands, which include minimum support price to agriculture produce, drought relief, loan waiver, a pro-farmer insurance scheme, and increased pensions, not to divert Maharashtra’s water share to Gujarat, crop insurance of Rs 40,000 per acre, waiver of electricity bills and children’s school fees and implementation of the Swaminathan Committee report.
Earlier in the day, Dhawale had said, “The Kisan Long March of 50,000 farmers under AIKS’s Maharashtra leadership has begun from Nashik despite refusal of permission by the police. Will continue to agitate till the government gives written assurances on meeting demands. After media uproar, the government was forced to allow peasants from Thane-Palghar districts to join the protest.”
Navale added, “The state government had made any promises in March last year, but did not implement any of it. The loan waiver programme worth Rs 34,000 crore was not implemented properly.”
The farmers had launched the first phase of the long march last year, reaching the city on March 12. Their plight had moved the Mumbaikars, many of whom came forward to show solidarity. The government had then “accepted” a majority of their demands after which the agitation was called off.
Source: All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS): Farmers call off 200-km march after govt steps in
