Pune: The farmers’ sukanu or core committee, spearheading the farmers’ agitation across the State, has lent its support to the silent rally to be held by the Maratha community in Mumbai on August 9.
Committee members had organised a gathering in Pune on Sunday to review the situation on the farmers’ demands.
The rally, organised by the Maratha Kranti Morcha to demand reservation in government jobs and education for members of the Maratha community, is expected to see massive participation.
The leaders of the core committee said that in support of the Maratha agitation, they will stage sit-ins and rasta roko protests on August 14 and 15, and aim to prevent guardian ministers across Maharashtra from conducting the flag hoisting ceremony on Independence Day.
Swabhimani Paksha rift
Meanwhile, committee members said there were no differences between Swabhimani Paksha head Raju Shetti and Minister of Agriculture for State Sadabhau Khot, Mr. Shetti’s number two aide in the party.
Speaking in Solapur district, Mr. Shetti, in a gesture of rapprochement, expressed confidence that Mr. Khot would not leave the party. “Some people may not be able to stomach the stern discipline necessitated by our [farmers’] movement. But I do not think Sadabhau Khot will exit the party,” he said. He refuted rumours that the Swabhimani Paksha was planning to exit the State government.
Relations between the two farmer leaders have been strained for a few months. Mr. Khot, last week, had said he would not appear before any internal party committees, after he was grilled by the party’s core working committee for alleged anti-party activities.