Not satisfied with CM Fadnavis’ promises, ryots to renew protest, walk from Nashik to Mumbai starting tomorrow
Over one lakh farmers across Maharashtra would march from Nashik to Mumbai from Wednesday in a repeat of their much-talked-about ‘Long March’ last year as the talks between farmer leaders and state government officials remained inconclusive on Sunday.
The farmers, who would cover nearly 165 kilometres over eight days to reach Mumbai on February 27, are demanding the Devendra Fadnavis government to honour the commitments given to farmers during their march in March last year and take measures to alleviate the suffering of farmers in the wake of a severe drought that has gripped half the State.
Last year’s Long March — which started with 25,000 landless and tribal farmers and ended in Mumbai with 50,000 farmers — was a watershed in farm movements in the country. The images of barefoot farmers, walking with bleeding feet, into the commercial capital in the dead of the night, flashed on television screens left a lasting impression on city dwellers.
According to the organisers, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), the farmer organisation backed by the Communist party of India (Marxist), double the number of farmers are expected to join the march this year.
‘Fulfil commitments’
According to an AIKS statement, a convention of farmers was organised on February 13 in Ahmednagar and submitted a memorandum to the district collector. Instead of taking any action on the memorandum, the police started registering police cases against state AIKS leaders, including its state secretary Ajit Nawale, it said.
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