Maharashtra CM Fadnavis to hold talks with protesting farmers as Nagpur stir over loan waiver continues

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has agreed to hold talks on Thursday with farmers on their demand for a blanket loan waiver in Mumbai, however, the sit-in peaceful protests will continue in Nagpur, the geographical centre of India.

The crucial demand of complete loan waiver in the wake of massive devastation by unseasonal rains and floods.

The protests were spearheaded by former MLA and Prahar Janshakti Party founder Omprakash alias Bacchu Kadu, a four-time MLA from Achalpur in Amravati.

Kadu and other leaders including CPI (M) State Secretary Ajit Nawale, Ajit Nawale, Mahadev Jankar, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetti, farmers leaders and former MLA Wamanrao Chatap will hold talks with Fadnavis at Mantralaya, the state secretariat in Mumbai.

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 and continued the protest on Wednesday.

"Our agitation has not ended...we are going for talks," Kadu said, adding that if talks fail the agitation will continue on Friday.

Earlier, the Bombay High Court asked protestors in Nagpur to vacate from the protest site off the Jamtha Stadium.

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 and other leaders held discussions with them and decided to hold talks with Fadnavis.

The blockade of National Highway 44, the major North-South highway, for two days had put people at an inconvenience.

There was also a brief 'rail-roko' in Nagpur with people squatting on the tracks.

In a related development, 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.

“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.

Before, Kadu met the two ministers, he gave a dressing down to Nagpur district Collector Dr Vipin Itankar for not meeting the protestors when they had been camping for two days.

The demands of Kadu includes farmers' loan waiver, guaranteed prices for farm produce, honorarium for the differently-abled, and just rights for shepherds and fishermen.