Around 50,000 farmers from over 23 districts of Maharashtra are expected to join the march. Reports have stated that the marching farmers will reach Mumbai on February 27.
Thousands of farmers have undertaken a march from Nasik to Mumbai for the second time in the last 12 months. The march, organised by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), backed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), was scheduled to start on the evening of February 20, but was reportedly delayed after police stopped a number of farmers from reaching Nasik.
In addition to that, the Minister for Water Resources and Irrigation, Girish Mahajan, reportedly wanted to speak to the organisers of the march to put forward the government’s side. However, the meeting, convened late on February 20 evening, remained inconclusive and AIKS leaders had reportedly announced that the farmers’ march would continue as planned.
Around 50,000 farmers from over 23 districts of Maharashtra are expected to join the march. Reports have stated that the marching farmers will reach Mumbai on February 27.
Why are the farmers organising a long march again?
According to reports, the demands of the farmers are more or less the same as the last time around. The AIKS had taken out a rally in March 2018, as well, when the farmers had walked the 180-km walk from Nasik to Mumbai.
Then, the farmers had demanded waivers of farm loans and power bills and support by the government to the farmers for the losses that they have suffered. Moreover, the farmers have also demanded implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, which addresses the issues of small-scale farmers and provision of minimum support prices.
But weren't the demands accepted last time around?
After the march reached Mumbai, the sea of farmers carrying red AIKS flags had been greeted by citizens of Mumbai with warmth and respect. The farmers had camped at Azad Maidan while talks with the government were on, and, on March 12, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had accepted their demands.
"We have accepted most of their demands and have given them a written letter," Fadnavis had said after meeting a delegation of agitating peasants.
However, according to leaders leading the march, these demands are yet to be fulfilled. The farmers, reports have suggested, are marching in order to protest this "betrayal" by the government.
"A year has passed, but the state government is yet to fulfill its promises. Hence, another long march is being taken out to protest the betrayal of farmers by the BJP-led state and central governments," AIKS leader Ajit Navale said.
Are there any additional demands in Kisan Long March 2.0?
Although the main thrust of the march is that the promises that the government made almost exactly a year ago are yet to be fulfilled, this time around the farmers are also opposing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. According to reports, the farmers fear losing out on land due to the project, and had also approached the court against land acquisition.
What are the political ramifications of the march?
According to reports, the state government had tried to stop the farmers' march by allegedly stopping farmers on their way to Nasik to participate in the march from Thane and Palghar. Farmers from other regions were also allegedly stopped by the police, and authorities had taken Navale into custody a day before the start of the march.
According to the leaders, the police action against farmers signals the nervousness of the government, especially months before the Lok Sabha polls and the subsequent Maharashtra assembly elections.
Moreover, Congress and the Maharashtra unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have come out in support of the marching farmers, calling the state government "draconian" and condeming the alleged police crackdown.
Last year, the marching farmers had been supported by Shiv Sena, and observers state that it would be interesting to see if the party comes out in support of the marching farmers this time as well, considering the recent announcement of the BJP-Sena tie-up.
