Mumbai farmers' protest latest updates: Responding to Fadnavis' claim that 95 percent of the protesters are tribals and thus, not farmers technically, All India Kisan Sabha leaders said that it was an attempt on the part of the government to discredit the protests, reported CNN-News18. 

Ruckus ensued in the Maharashtra Assembly on Monday morning ahead of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis meeting with the AIKS leaders at 1 pm. Security has been heightened to ensure there is no untoward incident.

In a first reaction since the farmers protest began, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said that the farmers' problem was not just restricted to Maharashtra, it panned across India. ANI quoted Rahul as saying: "This is not an issue of Maharashtra farmers alone but of farmers all over India."

Speaking to Firstpost, doctors at Azad Maidan, Mumbai said that most farmers complained of vomitting, body ache, blistered feet, leg pain, after having walked for more than 180 kilometres from Nashik.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to meet the farmer leaders at the Vidhan Bhavan at 11.30 am on Monday. The city police has made heavy security arrangements to ensure there is no untoward incident.

The representatives of the Maharashtra farmers morcha led by All India Kishan Sabha (AIKS) are set to meet Chief Minister Devender Fadnavis at 11.30 am. According to News18, the farmers will take a call after the meeting on whether to march towards the state Assembly or not.

Security around the Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai has been tightened as the AIKS-led farmers' march reached Azad Maidan on Monday morning, According to CNN-News18, tear gas shells have been kept ready.

Government sources said protesters will not be allowed to proceed to Vidhan Bhavan beyond Azad Maidan to meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Only a delegation of farmer leaders from the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) will be allowed to meet Fadnavis around noon.

Maharashtra farmers, who have now reached Azad Maidan after walking overnight from KJ Somaiyya ground in Sion, are reportedly dehydrated from travelling in the scorching sun for 30 kilometres on Sunday in Mumbai. Doctors who spoke to CNN-News18, said farmers were suffering from blood pressure and diarrhea.

Speaking to ANI, Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) said that there are no roads closed or diverted due to the ongoing farmers' protest in Mumbai. The police also cautioned travellers to not believe in rumours, on its Twitter handle.

According to CNN-News18, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will likely meet the protesting farmers at noon on Monday. The farmers are expected to march to the Vidhan Bhavan at 9 am on Monday to press the government to implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. According to IANS, complete loan waiver and profit of 1.5 times input cost for all major agriculture commodities are some of the other major demands of the AIKS.

Over 35,000 farmers from across Maharashtra, who embarked on a `Long March' from Nashik on 6 March to press their various demands, arrived in Mumbai on Sunday. By 5.10 am on Monday morning, they reached Azad Maidan, walking through the night.

Apart from opposition parties, Shiv Sena, a partner in the ruling BJP-led coalition, too has vocally supported the agitation.

The government reached out to farmers, promising to meet their demands, but farmers' leaders said they will press on with Monday's protest at the Vidhan Bhavan (Legislature Complex).

The farmers, led by Left-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), are demanding, among other things, proper implementation of the Maharashtra government's loan waiver scheme.

Braving scorching heat, they have covered around 180 kilometres on foot in six days.

Farmers of All Indian Kisan Sabha (AIKS) march from Nashik to Mumbai to gherao Vidhan Bhawan on March 12, demanding a loan waiver, in Thane on Saturday. PTI

Farmers of All Indian Kisan Sabha (AIKS) march from Nashik to Mumbai to gherao Vidhan Bhawan on March 12, demanding a loan waiver, in Thane on Saturday. PTI

The protesters halted at the Somaiya ground in suburban Chunabhatti on Sunday night, and will set out for Vidhan Bhavan in south Mumbai, where the Budget session is underway, on Monday.

"We will gherao (lay siege to) the Vidhan Bhavan (on Monday) to demand a complete loan waiver, fair price for farm produce, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, compensation for hailstorm-affected farmers among other things," Kisan Gujar, president of the state council of AIKS, said.

"(On Sunday) our number is over 35,000. Over 20,000 farmers from other parts of the state will join (on Monday)," he said, adding the farmers were also protesting against land acquisition for projects such as high-speed railway and super-highways.

"Though we have been approached by the government officials advising us not to stay near the Vidhan Bhavan for long, everything will depend on how the government deals with our demands," Gujar told PTI.

From the government's side, Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan, who is also guardian minister for Nashik district, met farmers' leaders in Mulund as the march entered Mumbai, and assured that most of their demands will be met.

"The chief minister (Devendra Fadnavis) has sent me to meet you. Most of your demands will be met. We will take a delegation to the chief minister," Mahajan said, addressing the protesters.

Senior BJP leader and Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar also assured that the chief minister will meet the protestors' delegation, and blamed the "apathetic" approach of past governments for the farmers' woes.

"Our government is committed to address all the grievances of farmers, which have accumulated due to the apathetic approach of the last several years...We are very sensitive towards farmers and two ministers (Tribal Development Minister Vishnu Savara and Mahajan) have already been asked to look into their demands," Mungantiwar told PTI.

Ajit Navale of the AIKS, however, dismissed the overture. "The days of living on assurances have passed. Unless the government gives us something concrete, commits itself in writing, we will march towards the Vidhan Bhavan," he said.

Senior Shiv Sena leder and cabinet minister Eknath Shinde and Yuva Sena (Shiv Sena's youth wing) chief Aditya Thackeray also greeted the protesters in suburban Vikhroli.

Thackeray said the Shiv Sena stood "shoulder to shoulder" with farmers in their struggle.

It was wrong to say that farmers were demanding loan waiver, as they are not criminals that they should need a `waiver', Aditya said, adding "farmers are fighting for `freedom from debt'."

As so many farmers have marched to Mumbai despite the government's grand loan waiver, Sena leaders have demanded to see the list of actual beneficiaries of the scheme, he said.

Opposition Congress, NCP, Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and AAP, as well as ruling ally Shiv Sena have extended support to the farmers' march.

Patidar leader from Gujarat Nikhil Sawani, who joined the march, said his community supported the protesters.

As the march reached suburban Vikhroli, the phalanx of farmers — comprising both men and women — extended for almost three kilometres.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Deven Bharti said that adequate security arrangements had been made.

With inputs from PTI


Published Date: Mar 12, 2018 12:21 PM | Updated Date: Mar 12, 2018 12:30 PM