Maharashtra farmers call off ‘long march’ after govt agrees to demands

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, February 22

Maharashtra’s farmers who had undertaken a “long march” to Mumbai to push for a number of concessions from the state government called off the protest early this morning after the state government conceded to their major demands.

”The Maharashtra Government has agreed to 15 demands of the farmers,” Ashok Dhawale, president, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), which organised the ‘long march’ told reporters at Nashik today. On Thursday afternoon, the government rushed Minister for Water Resources Girish Mahajan and Tourism Minister Jayakumar Raval to meet the AIKS leaders who were leading the march.

At the end of a four-hour long meeting, the Maharashtra Government conceded to major demands of the farmers like a complete farm loan waiver, work for farmers under MNREGA in drought-hit regions and improved Crop Insurance scheme for small land owners, Dhawale said.

The two ministers also made an appearance with AIKS leaders at a farmers’ rally where the government’s decision announced. Dhawale said participants at the farmers’ rally held at around 1.30 am agreed to call off the ‘long march’ after being satisfied with the assurances given by the government.

Talks between AIKS leaders and Mahajan till the wee hours of Thursday were inconclusive and the farmers began their “long march” to Mumbai late Thursday morning. More than 50,000 farmers joined the march and more were joining in.