Maharashtra farmers continue protest march, govt to hold talks

Amid the ongoing Nashik-Mumbai farmers’ long march and threats to intensify the protests, the Maharashtra government would hold talks with the delegation of leaders of farmers on Wednesday.

The protests are being spearheaded by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) The march entered the third day on Tuesday.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were to meet the farmers on Tuesday, however, the meeting was cancelled apparently in the wake of the state government employees going on strike demanding the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

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“We have been told that the meeting has been cancelled, but we were not given any reasons…may be because of the strike by employees,” Dr Ajit Navale, the general secretary of Maharashtra unit of AKIS, said.

He said that the time has come to intensify the agitation across the state. “If the government does not want to hear us, we may have to carry out a blockade of the Mumbai-Gujarat Highway, only then the government may hear perhaps,” he said in Nashik district.

In Mumbai, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Ajit Pawar raised the issue. “They were called to Mumbai but the meeting was cancelled,” he said.

However, Nashik district Guardian Minister Dada Bhuse said that the meeting would be held on Wednesday. “Both Shinde and Fadnavis and all concerned secretaries would be present in the meeting,” he said.

Bhuse assured that all positive demands would be heard and that the needful would be done.

Their 17-point charter of demands included a demand for better prices, particularly for onions, cotton, soybean, tur, green gram, milk, and hirda.