Nagpur farmers' protest lead by Activist Bacchu Kadu.
Credit: / @RealBacchuKadu
Mumbai: The stalemate between the agitating farmers demanding blanket loan waiver and the Devendra Fadnavis-headed government in Maharashtra continued on Tuesday even as the Bombay High Court asked protestors in Nagpur led by former MLA and activist Omprakash alias Bacchu Kadu to vacate from the protest site.
When reports last came in, Kadu and other senior leaders of the agitators are walking towards the Nagpur city from the the site off the Jamtha Stadium - with an intention of a jail-bharo andolan.
The blockade of National Highway 44, the major North-South highway, continued for the second day with people inconvenienced.
There was also a brief rail-roko in Nagpur with people squatting on the tracks.
Justice Rajnish Vyas of the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court noted that the protest led to 20 km-long traffic jams, affecting the movement of ambulances and police vehicles.
“The protestors’ blockade of a public road violated citizens’ fundamental right to free movement,” he said and directed Kadu to clear the highway immediately.
The state was represented by advocate Devendra Chauhan, and the matter will be heard on November 6.
Kadu’s tractor rally - Maha Elgar Morcha - had started on Monday from Chandurbazar in Amravati district and reached the outskirts of Nagpur on Tuesday evening.
The State government reached out to the protestors with two ministers -- Minister of State for Finance, Planning, Agriculture, Assistance, and Rehabilitation Ashish Jaiswal and Minister of State for Home, Housing, School Education, Corporation and Mining Pankaj Bhoyar to hold talks with the agitators.
Kadu has support of CPI (M) Maharashtra State Secretary Ajit Nawale, Ajit Nawale, Mahadev Jankar, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetti, farmers leaders and former MLA Wamanrao Chatap.
“For many days, we have been demanding loan waivers and other farmer-related issues from the government through protests, memorandums, and guiding meetings in every possible way. But the government has deliberately turned a blind eye to these demands,” said Kadu, a former minister, who had in the past been associated with the Maha Vikas Aghadi and the Maha Yuti.