Protesting farmers give ultimatum to Maharashtra govt

Give three days to CM to meet demand; threaten statewide protests, rail and road blockades

Around 2,000 farmers and 300 representatives of farmer associations from across Maharashtra congregated on Thursday at the Tup Sakhare Lawns here to intensify their protest against the government.

The organisers said they were giving three days to the state government, after which they’d resort to protests before each taluka and district collector’s office on Monday, followed by stopping rail and road traffic the next day.

Farmers have been on strike for eight days, demanding a complete loan waiver and higher prices for their produce. As a result, milk and vegetable supplies have been disrupted. The government has announced a loan waiver for owners of small holdings but farmers want it for all.

According to the organisers, farmers have incurred losses of over Rs 1,000 crore in the past week of the strike in various forms. This includes dumping of vegetables and milk on the roads, damage to harvested crop or not harvesting the matured crop.

Protesting farmers are demanding implementation of the Swaminathan committee recommendations, such as a higher minimum support price, crop insurance, dynamic government responses to problems, restructuring of microfinance policies and social security, among others.

They also want complete farm loan waiver, interest-free sanctions of further loans and pension after attaining 60 years of age.

“Our fight with the government for our rights and sustenance has reached a concluding stage. It’s pathetic that those who feed the entire nation have to come on the streets for their rights. We do not have any option,” said Jayant Patil, chairman of Shetkari Kamgar Paksha, a political party.

He was joined by Omprakash Kadu, the (independent) MLA from this district, who threatened to cut supply of vegetables and milk to Mumbai in a couple of days. And, criticised the state government, the Reserve Bank of India governor and the State Bank of India chairman for opposing farm loan waivers.

“You don’t have any problem with non-performing assets (NPA) of banks to industry but farmers who feed the entire country have an accumulated loan of Rs 32,000 crore, for which you have a big problem. Stop favouring industrialists who bring nothing to this country apart from NPAs and support farmers,” said Kadu.

Some of the protesters called for cutting of water supply to Mumbai from Nashik and Raigad, the two main districts which supply to the city. Raju Shetti, a Member of Parliament from the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, called for non-cooperation with government departments in districts and local offices.