According to media reports, the district administration in Nashik has refused permission to the AIKS to organise a farmers’ march and asked them to organise a demonstration. However, the AIKS reiterated on Tuesday that it intended to go forward with the farmers’ march.
Mumbai: Kisan Long March is ready to set foot in Mumbai again after their 2018 demands were left unfulfilled by the Fadnavis led Maharashtra government.
The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) said it has mobilised nearly 80,000 farmers from different parts of Maharashtra who will begin marching towards Mumbai from Wednesday. They are expected to reach the city by February 27 and gather near Mantralaya, the state secretariat where the budget session of the assembly will be in progress.
The farmers will press for demands like farm loan waiver, minimum support price, irrigation facilities and provision of a pension to farmers.
According to media reports, the district administration in Nashik has refused permission to the AIKS to organise a farmers’ march and asked them to organise a demonstration. However, the AIKS reiterated on Tuesday that it intended to go forward with the farmers’ march.
AIKS also said in a statement that their general secretary Dr. Ajit Navale was facing harassment by police forces and the march was being halted in different regions by force. Reports suggested that the government has decided to crack down on farmers’ groups in different parts of the state which have been mobilising people for the march.
They said that farmers coming to Mumbai from the Thane Palghar route were stopped by the police at Jawhar, Dahanu, Kasa, Dhundhalwadi, Vikramgad and more areas. The people struggled against this crackdown but the vehicles were slowly allowed to move forward. AIKS alleged that district officials have filed police cases against those who have organised farmers’ conventions in Ahmednagar district.
The farmers collective said that the govt failed to fulfil any promises they made during their march to Mumbai in 2018.
