Maharashtra Farmers Call Off Their Long March To Mumbai After Government’s Assurance

On Saturday, protesting farmers and tribals called off their long march, who were on their way to Mumbai from the Nashik district of Maharashtra,  after an assurance from the government to complete their demands and execute related orders.

With red flags in their hands, the march had started on foot from Dindori town, located around 195 km away from Mumbai, on March 12 demanding relief of Rs 600 per quintal to onion growers hit by price crash, twelve-hour uninterrupted power supply to farmers, and waiver of farm loans.  They had reached Thane district’s Vasind town, around 80 km from Mumbai.

On Friday, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde told the Assembly that onion cultivators will be given a financial relief of Rs 350 a quintal and appealed to them to call off the protest.

“Our demands have been met. All the demands by the farmers were taken into consideration in the state legislature and collectors and tehsildars have been issued orders. We received calls from our activists that work (implementation of the government order) has begun. So, we have decided to call off the march,” Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA Vinod Nikole said.

He said the participants have started heading back to their homes, and the remaining people will leave by Saturday evening or Sunday.

The Maharashtra government had on Friday accepted most of the demands of farmers.

CM Shinde, Deputy Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, ministers, and top government officials held talks with the farmers’ representatives to resolve the issue on Thursday.  Shinde had also informed the House that he had held discussions with a farmers’ delegation on 14 points, including forest rights, encroachment of forest land, transfer of land belonging to temple trusts, and grazing grounds to cultivators for farming.

He had said a cabinet sub-committee will be set up to monitor appeals and claims related to the demand for forest land up to four hectares in possession of cultivators. The panel will prepare a report in a month.

Meanwhile, Thane district collector Ashok Shingare on Saturday visited the site where the protesting farmers were camping at Vasind village and handed them a letter on behalf of the government of having met all their demands.

An official release said special arrangements were made for halting the express and other trains at Vasind railway station to enable the participants of the long march to travel to their homes, the release added.

-With PTI Inputs

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