CPI(M) stages mammoth protest in Maharashtra's Palghar district

Palghar: Demanding the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, restoration of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and scrapping of the Wadhawan mega-port project among other things, more than 50,000 people undertook a massive two-day foot march in the Palghar district and would be camping till their demands are conceded in writing by the Maharashtra government.

They have threatened to march to Mantralaya, the state secretariat in Mumbai, if their demands are not met.

The march is being held in the backdrop of the MGNREGA, 2005, being replaced by Viksit Bharat- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, also referred to as Viksit Bharat- G RAM G Bill, 2025.

The march is being spearheaded by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and have participation of several fronts and organisations All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Student’s Federation of India (SFI) and Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch (AARM).

On Monday, the march started from Charoti in Dahanu tehsil and stopped overnight at Manor (35 kms) and are now heading for the Palghar district Collectorate (another 25 kms).

The massive gathering will sit on an indefinite dharna at the Palghar Collectorate until its burning and long-standing demands are conceded by the government in writing with a definite time frame

The March is being led by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and AIKS National President Dr Ashok Dhawale, Polit Bureau member and AIDWA National General Secretary Mariam Dhawale, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and AIKS National General Secretary Vijoo Krishnan, Central Committee member, state secretary and AIKS National Joint Secretary Dr Ajit Nawale, Central Committee member and CITU State Secretary Vinod Nikole, two-term MLA from Dahanu, State Secretariat member and AARM State Convenor Kiran Gahala and others.

The major demands of the march include rigorous implementation of the FRA; vesting of all temple, inaam and government land in the name of the tillers; restoration of MNREGA; cancellation of the Smart Meter scheme; Implementation of PESA; repeal of the Labour Codes; cancellation of the Wadhwan and Murbe ports; water for drinking and irrigation; increased facilities for education, employment, ration, health.

“The protesters will begin an indefinite sit-in there until the demands of the people are conceded in writing within a definite time frame,” Dr Dhawale said, adding that when they started there were around 50,000 people and the numbers were increasing. “We will hold sit in agitation in Palghar and if it is not addressed we will march till Mantralaya,” he said.

EARLIER MARCHES:

26-28 April 2023: To highlight the plight of farmers, the AIKS has organised a three-day statewide march of thousands of peasants from Akole to Loni in Ahilyanagar district, earlier known as Ahmednagar.

11-18 March 2023: The week-long Nashik-Mumbai foot march of the farmers was called off Vasind in Thane district after successful talks with the Maharashtra government. The 180-km-long march involving over 10,000-farmers spearheaded by AKIS - with a 17-point charter of demands - had started from Dindori in Nashik.

6-12 March 12, 2018: Around 60,000 to 70,000 farmers marched a distance of 200 km from Nashik to Mumbai for gherao Vidhan Bhavan, however, they were made to camp at the Azad Maidan. The AIKS organised the peasants, hit by recurrent agrarian crisis in the state, on demands such as the waiver of agricultural loans, remunerative prices for agricultural crops, the provision by the government of drought relief measures, and the implementation of land rights, such as the Forest Rights’ Act.