Thousands of farmers from Maharashtra on Monday began a statewide vehicular long march from Akole in Ahilyanagar district towards Mumbai.
The farmers, who hail from over 20 districts of Maharashtra, are travelling to Mumbai via Nashik district in a large convoy of vehicles. They are slated to arrive at the city’s Azad Maidan on Tuesday night.
On Tuesday morning, the convoy was seen passing through the Kasara Ghat in the Thane district.
About The Long March
The long march is being led by the All India Kisan Sabha, the farmers’ wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Before the vehicular convoy began its journey, a foot march was organised in the Akole town, and was led by the AIKS’ national president Ashok Dhawale, national general secretary Viju Krishnan, CPI(M) MLA Vinod Nikole and AIKS Maharashtra State President Yashwant Zhade, The Times of India reported.
Here is a look at the demands of the farmers:
Enhanced drought relief measures: AIKS national joint secretary Ashok Nawale was quoted as saying by the newspaper that the farmers are demanding adequate compensation and long-term measures to deal with the drought crisis that the state is facing. He described the advance assistance of Rs 5,000 announced by the Maharashtra government earlier this month as too meagre.
Loan waivers: In July, the Maharashtra government had announced that farmers who were covered under the Mahatma Phule Shetkari loan waiver scheme would get loan waivers of up to Rs 2 lakh. The protesters on the long march to Mumbai are demanding that farmers who paid their loans on time should also get the benefit of the waiver, Loksatta reported.
Land titles: The protesters are also demanding that land titles be accorded to farmers who carry out agricultural activities on forest land, temple trust land or grazing land.
The Maharashtra government has declared a drought in 305 out of the state’s 358 talukas, in the backdrop of a 19 per cent monsoon deficit and the prospect of El Niño conditions intensifying. The state government has stated that it will implement 12 relief measures in these talukas with the aim of providing assistance to farmers facing the impact of deficient rainfall.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the decision to provide advance assistance was taken as the procedure for obtaining drought assistance from the Centre is not likely to be completed before Diwali.
