Farmers Marching To Mumbai Await Police Clearance in Nashik
File photo of farmers marching from Nashik to Mumbai in March 2018.(Photo: PTI)
Source: Farmers Marching To Mumbai Await Police Clearance in Nashik
Thousands of farmers marching to Mumbai to protest against the Modi government have been stranded in Nashik, awaiting clearance from the Mumbai police.
Led by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), the farmers from about 23 districts were supposed to begin their march to Mumbai on Wednesday, 20 February and were slated to reach the state capital on 27 February.
Maharashtra cabinet minister Girish Mahajan reched Nashik on Wednesday to talk to the agitating farmers.
Their demands include implementation of farm loan waiver, handing over of forest lands, granting legal titles to tribal farmers for the forest land they have been tilling, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations for minimum support price and irrigation facilities.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday took to Twitter to accuse the Narendra Modi government of betraying farmers despite “signing letters of promises” and said their agitation across the country would continue.
“Modi and BJP state governments are busy with just jumlas. They betrayed the annadaata, despite giving signed letters and making promises. But our kisans won’t give up. The March to Mumbai resumes,” Yechury wrote on Twitter.
The AIKS had told PTI on Tuesday it was opposed to the multi-billion dollar Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project which has seen several farmers along the proposed route approach court against land acquisition.
A farmers’ march by the AIKS last year had forced the state government to give in-principle acceptance to several of their demands.
“A year has passed but the state government has not fulfilled promises. Hence, the long march would be taken out against the betrayal of farmers by BJP-led state and central governments,” the AIKS told PTI.
The Fadnavis government in the state on Sunday, 17 February had claimed that more than 43,000 forest rights have been cleared by the Maharashtra government just in the last three months, PTI reported.
This information was reportedly given during a meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, called to address various issues related to farmers.
Last year, nearly 30,000 farmers had taken out a march from Nashik to Mumbai.
Also Read : ‘Pray to God Modi Govt Doesn’t Return to Power’: Vidarbha Farmers
(With inputs from PTI)
Source: Farmers Marching To Mumbai Await Police Clearance in Nashik
