Eight months after ''unfulfilled promises'', 20k farmers again march to Mumbai

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, November 21

Nearly 20,000 farmers from different parts of Maharashtra began their march to downtown Mumbai to protest, what they say, are unfulfilled promises by the Maharashtra government.

The Lok Sangharsh Morcha (LSM), an umbrella body of several farmers' organisations which is holding the march, is demanding that the Maharashtra government grant access to local village bodies and tribal councils access to land and water resources. Other demands of the farmers' include implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations apart from extending healthcare benefits under the National Rural Health Mission in rural Maharashtra.

"Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had promised that farm loans would be waived and right of tribals on their land would be honoured. But these have not been fulfilled. Farmers are not getting fresh crop loans from banks and even the Minimum Support Price announced by the government are not being provided to farmers," Pratibha Shinde, General Secretary, LSM, said. 

The farmers had congregated in Nashik from different parts of Maharashtra earlier this week and arrived in Thane on Tuesday night.

They began marching to Mumbai on Wednesday. According to the LSM, they will camp out at Somaiya College grounds at Sion in Central Mumbai before marching towards Azad Maidan in South Mumbai on Thursday.

Among those participating in the march include Swaraj Abhiyan chief Yogendra Yadav and noted conservationist Rajendra Singh. 

According to police officials, the marchers won't be allowed to proceed beyond Azad Maidan as the Winter Session of the Maharashtra Assembly is in progress.

Farmers' representatives say, most of the marchers are from the worst affected areas of Marathwada which is reeling under drought. 

According to state government officials, 17 districts in Marathwada and Vidarbha are facing drought this year.

Last March, farmers under the banner of the All India Kisan Sabha had also marched to Mumbai and were given a written assurance by the Chief Minister about time-bound action into some of their demands.

However, LSM office-bearers say nothing has happened to the promises though a committee comprising several ministers have been formed to look into their demands.