JOIN USMaharashtra farmers call off march after talks with government
The week-long Nashik-Mumbai foot march of the farmers has been formally called off on Saturday after successful talks with the Maharashtra government over the past few days.
The farmers who were camping in Vasind in Thane district are now returning back to their villages.
The 180-km-long march involving over 10,000 farmers spearheaded by All India Kisan Sabha - with a 17-point charter of demands - had started from Dindori in Nashik on Sunday.
“We had a series of meetings with the government and have decided to call off the agitation,” AKIS President Dr Ashok Dhawale told DH on Saturday.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday evening made a statement in the Maharashtra legislature on considering the demands of the farmers.
“We have received the copy of the minutes of the meeting. The Chief Minister also made a statement in the House,” said Dr Dhawale.
The farmers who were camping in Vasind in Thane district for the last couple of days have now started leaving for their respective villages and districts.
The farmers had four rounds of talks with the government.
While Port Minister Dada Bhuse met the farmers in Nashik last Sunday urging them not to go ahead with the march.
Again on Wednesday, Bhuse and Cooperation Minister Atul Save met them again in Thane district.
Thereafter over Thursday and Friday, a farmers' delegation comprising Dr Dhawale, Dr Ajit Navale, the general secretary of the Maharashtra unit of AKIS, seven-time former CPI (M) MLA Jiva Pandu Gavit, CPI (M) MLA Vinod Nikole met Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the Finance Minister and Chief Secretary Dr Manukumar Shrivastava twice and after successful talks decided to withdraw the agitation.
However, there have been reports of discontent about the compensation or help of Rs 350 per quintal – against the AIKS demand of Rs 600 per quintal – for onion growers.
During the march, more than 40 farmers developed health issues and one of them died.
The deceased was identified as Pundalik Ambadas Jadhav (58), a resident of Dindori. He was in the Vasind camp when he complained of uneasiness and was rushed to a hospital in Shahapur town where he was pronounced dead on admission.