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Mar 12, 2018 03:06 PM IST | Source: Moneycontrol.com
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Accept demands of farmers and tribals: Rahul Gandhi to PM, Fadnavis
Congress president Rahul Gandhi today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to shed their egos and accept the "just demands" of the thousands of farmers and tribals protesting in Mumbai.
The mammoth farmers march to Mumbai is a "stunning example of people's power", Gandhi said on Twitter. The Congress, he added, stands with the farmers and tribals marching to protest against the apathy of the central and state governments.
"I appeal to PM Modi and the CM to not stand on ego and to accept their just demands," Gandhi tweeted.
Govt positive towards farmers' demands: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said his government was "sensitive and positive" towards the demands of farmers and tribals, who have marched from Nashik to Mumbai to draw the administration's attention towards their problems.
Fadnavis was responding to a discussion in the Assembly, initiated by Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who lauded the farmers participating in the 'Kisan Long March' for their peaceful protest while demanding a complete loan waiver and compensation for hailstorm and pink bollworm pest attack on crops.
The Azad Maidan in South Mumbai turned into a sea of red this morning as thousands of farmers, carrying red flags, converged here after walking around 180 kms from the neighbouring Nashik district over the last six days.
The farmers plan to surround the Assembly complex to press for their demands of an unconditional loan waiver, and transfer of forest land to tribal farmers who have been tilling it for years. The CPI(M)-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha is spearheading the protest.
"They (the protesting farmers) reached the Azad Maidan early this morning from the K J Somaiya Ground in the eastern suburbs so that students appearing for their board exams are not hassled due to traffic jams. The Mumbaikars are also taking care of them," Vikhe Patil said in the House.
We're positive in fulfilling demands. Since the first day of the Morcha we tried to discuss various issues with them. Girish Mahajan was in touch with them from day one. But they were firm on taking out the March: CM Devendra Fadnavis said, reports ANI.
Attacking the government in relation to the Maharashtra farmers' protest, Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi said, "Not only in Maharashtra, farmers across India are suffering under BJP," reports CNN News18.
The representatives of the Maharashtra farmers' protest led by All India Kishan Sabha (AIKS) will meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devender Fadnavis at 11:30 am, reports CNN News18. The farmers will take a call after the meeting on whether to march towards the State Assembly or not.
Mumbai ground turns into sea of red as farmers converge for protest
Azad Maidan in south Mumbai turned into a sea of red this morning as thousands of farmers, carrying red flags, converged here after walking around 180 kms under blazing sun over the last six days.
The farmers plan to surround the Assembly complex to press for their demands of an unconditional loan waiver, and transfer of forest land to tribal farmers who have been tilling it for years.
They reached Azad Maidan early today, after camping at KJ Somaiya Ground in Sion area. The CPI(M)-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha, which is spearheading the protest, said it will consider what the government has to offer. CPI(M) leader Ashok Dhawle said over 50,000 people have joined the protest.
"We will begin our rally after 11 am today so that students appearing for their Class 10 board exam don't face any difficulties," he said. Tribals from Thane district have joined the farmers from Nashik district in the protest.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will likely meet the protesting farmers at noon on Monday, reports CNN News18. Fadnavis on Sunday night had said his government will talk to the farmers who have undertaken a `Long March' to the city to press their various demands. The chief minister also appealed agitators not to hold up the traffic tomorrow so that students appearing for Std 10th exams in the city are not delayed.
Meeting with delegation of farmers and all political parties begins at Vidhan Bhawan under the chairmanship of Maharastra CM Devendra Fadnavis.
Here are the key demands that Ashok Dhawale listed:
1. An extension of the loan waiver scheme which they had announce last year.
2. The implementation of the Forest Rights Act, which says that whatever land is cultivated by tribals to be vested in their names.
3. Pension for poor farmers and agriculture workers.
4. Immediate relief to farmers who lost nearly Rs 12,000 crore due to the pink ball worm attacks on Bt cottons in Marathwada and Vidarbha.
5. Oppose land acquisition programmes for schemes like Bullet trains.
6. Oppose major river linking projects which are creating problems.
Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and NCP leader Ajit Pawar will be part of the government’s talks with farmers.
Mumbai: Farmers participate in a long march organized by All Indian Kisan Sabha (AIKS) at Azad Maidan on Monday. PTI
Accept demands of farmers and tribals: Rahul Gandhi to PM, Fadnavis
Congress president Rahul Gandhi today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to shed their egos and accept the "just demands" of the thousands of farmers and tribals protesting in Mumbai.
The mammoth farmers march to Mumbai is a "stunning example of people's power", Gandhi said on Twitter. The Congress, he added, stands with the farmers and tribals marching to protest against the apathy of the central and state governments.
"I appeal to PM Modi and the CM to not stand on ego and to accept their just demands," Gandhi tweeted.
Maharashtra just the beginning, farmers from across India planning 'mother of all protests' in Delhi
The ongoing protest by thousands of farmers in the heart of Mumbai may just be the beginning. For, leaders of farmers’ associations in several states are planning to hold similar marches in their respective states — in the lead-up to a mega protest in the national capital in April.
“The government’s anti-farmer stand needs to be challenged. We will hold a rally for the same in Guwahati very soon. Also, all state farmer heads are in close collaboration and we are planning to hold a big protest in New Delhi sometime in April. Farmers from all over India will be present in that rally. State farm heads are meeting in Guwahati this month itself,” said Akhil Gogoi, a Northeast-based farmer rights leader.
India’s Northeast has been reeling under farmer crisis caused by land erosion, floods and the general terrain of the land. “The state government does not buy our output, which results in heavy losses to our farmers. The issues that have been raised in Maharashtra apply to farmers all over the country. The Mumbai march was a plan well-conceived and all of us had planned it keeping in mind the government’s stand,” said Gogoi.
Read the full report here.
Mumbai: Farmers participate in a long march organised by All Indian Kisan Sabha (AIKS) at Azad Maidan on Monday. PTI
Mumbai: Farmers participate in a long march organised by All Indian Kisan Sabha (AIKS) at Azad Maidan on Monday. PTI
Heavy police security in Mumbai for farmers' march
The Mumbai police is leaving no stone unturned to maintain law and order as thousands of farmers converged at the Azad Maidan here after walking around 180 km from Nashik to press for their various demands.
More than 35,000 farmers from across Maharashtra, who embarked on a 'Long March' last Tuesday, reached the Azad Maidan early today, after camping at the K J Somaiya Ground in Sion area.
"Some more farmers are expected to join the march from neighbouring districts. The police personnel are on their toes and prepared enough to maintain law and order," Deven Bharti, the joint-commissioner of police (crime), told PTI.
"The march has came all the way peacefully to the country's financial capital," Bharti said, adding that the police hope to disperse the protesters also in a peaceful manner. As a huge number of protesters have gathered in the city, the police is keeping a tab to ward off any possible anti-social elements from taking advantage of the situation, another official said.
According to Talekar, the Mumbai roti-bank, of which the dabbawalas are an integral part, deploys GPS-tracked vans to collect excess food from eateries, hotels, public functions and households, so that it can be distributed to the poor and hungry people.
Meanwhile, city residents were also seen offering 'Vada-pav' (a popular street snack), other food items and water to farmers last night. A Mumbai resident also posted on social media a picture of food and water being distributed to farmers. Several political parties like the Congress, the NCP, the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena have extended their support to the protesting farmers.
Dabbawals, Mumbaikars provide food to protesting farmers
The famed 'dabbawalas' of Mumbai and the city residents came out to help the thousands of farmers, who walked for six days to reach here from Nashik to raise their various demands, by providing them food and water.
The farmers walked upto the Azad Maidan in South Mumbai early this morning as a part of their 'long march' for raising demands, including implementation of the Maharashtra government's loan waiver scheme.
Subhash Talekar, the spokesperson of Mumbai Dabbawala Association, said, "We thought about helping the farmers with food as they are our food-providers and have come from remote parts of the state."
"We asked our men working between Dadar (in Central Mumbai) and Colaba (South Mumnbai) to collect food and deliver it to our farmer brothers at the Azad Maidan," he said. Dabbawalas, the tiffin-carriers known for their efficient delivery service, provided food to the protesters as a part of their 'roti-bank' initiative.
Govt positive towards farmers' demands: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said his government was "sensitive and positive" towards the demands of farmers and tribals, who have marched from Nashik to Mumbai to draw the administration's attention towards their problems.
Fadnavis was responding to a discussion in the Assembly, initiated by Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who lauded the farmers participating in the 'Kisan Long March' for their peaceful protest while demanding a complete loan waiver and compensation for hailstorm and pink bollworm pest attack on crops.
The Azad Maidan in South Mumbai turned into a sea of red this morning as thousands of farmers, carrying red flags, converged here after walking around 180 kms from the neighbouring Nashik district over the last six days.
The farmers plan to surround the Assembly complex to press for their demands of an unconditional loan waiver, and transfer of forest land to tribal farmers who have been tilling it for years. The CPI(M)-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha is spearheading the protest.
"They (the protesting farmers) reached the Azad Maidan early this morning from the K J Somaiya Ground in the eastern suburbs so that students appearing for their board exams are not hassled due to traffic jams. The Mumbaikars are also taking care of them," Vikhe Patil said in the House.
We're positive in fulfilling demands. Since the first day of the Morcha we tried to discuss various issues with them. Girish Mahajan was in touch with them from day one. But they were firm on taking out the March: CM Devendra Fadnavis said, reports ANI.
Farmers will not fall prey to any of the tactics, says Shiv Sena
"However, seeing their persistence it can be gauged that farmers will not fall prey to any of the tactics," Shiv Sena said on Monday.
The Sena added that it would not give importance to what thoughts, organisation and colour the agitation represents.
"They do not have any caste, religion or political ideology...Farmers have red flags in their hands. How can the Sena support them is the question?" it said.
"We may have differences... however, their active participation in the state's agitation, especially for Mumbai, cannot be forgotten...those who do (forget), should be considered enemies of the state," the Sena said.
It noted that Shreepad Amrut Dange, Ahilya Rangnekar and Shahir Annabhau Sathe were leaders with communist ideologies. "Mill workers and farmers were ready to spill their blood for the Maharashtra movement (held in the 1960s for creation of a separate Marathi-speaking state). Today, they are despondent and committing suicide," the Sena lamented.
Sena backs farmers' protest march Mumbai
The Shiv Sena today threw its weight behind the thousands of farmers who marched from Nashik to Mumbai to highlight their problems and said the party would back them regardless of their red flags.
The saffron party also said the role of leaders with communist ideology -- a red flag usually symbolises communism -- in the agitation for a separate Maharashtra cannot be forgotten.
The CPI(M)-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha is spearheading the protest that turned south Mumbai's Azad Maidan into a sea of red today as thousands of farmers carrying red flags converged there after walking around 180 km from neighbouring Nashik district.
The farmers plan to surround the state Assembly complex to press for their demands of an unconditional loan waiver and transfer of forest land to tribal farmers who have been tilling it for years. "It is possible that the government may talk of assurances to farmers and even deploy some of its ministers to temporarily confuse them," the Sena, an ally of the ruling BJP in Maharashtra and at the Centre, said in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'.
Mammoth farmers' march an example of people's power. Congress stands with farmers protesting against government apathy: Rahul Gandhi said.
Congress MP Nana Patole is addressing the morcha at Azad Maidan, reports Firstpost.
Farmers walked for 140 hours to reach Mumbai.
'No question of compromise, will go back only when demands are fulfilled': Ajit Navale, Kisan leader
"This is not a political issue. The government must respect farmers. We have marched more than 100 kilometres and will go back only when all our demands are fulfilled,” AIKS general secretary Ajit Nawale said, reported Hindustan Times.
'No question of compromise, will go back only when demands are fulfilled': Ajit Navale, Kisan leader
"This is not a political issue. The government must respect farmers. We have marched more than 100 kilometres and will go back only when all our demands are fulfilled,” AIKS general secretary Ajit Nawale said, reported Hindustan Times.
"There'll be a meeting with farmers at 1 pm. I think we'll give solutions for 80-90 percent of their issues. We're serious about the demands including loan waiver and will come up with best decisions. Written assurance will be given for accepted demands," Girish Mahajan, Maharashtra Minister said.
A look at how agrarian protests and riots have increased + map depicting the states witnessing these:
Maharashtra farmers' protest propelled by urban Maoists. They are carrying red flags…They are influenced by Urban Maoists: Poonam Mahajan, BJP MP, told CNN News18.
In the wake of farmers protest in Mumbai, here’s an infographic highlighting the debt problem the Indian farmers are trapped in: