Farmers defer Mumbai march by a day; hold talks with minister

A leading organisation of farmers Wednesday deferred launch of its long march from Nashik to Mumbai by a day after the police allegedly took "suppressive measures" stopping peasants from participating in it even as the Maharashtra government reached out to the protesters.

All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) president Ashok Dhawale said the outfit had expected 50,000 peasants to join the protest march, scheduled to begin from Nashik on Wednesday.

But not all could reach Nashik, about 200km from Mumbai in North Maharashtra, due to the police action, he alleged.

"So, we held a rally of farmers in Nashik and decided to defer the launch by a day. Meanwhile, the state government has approached us through its minister Girish Mahajan for talks," Dhawale said.

"We will think about the course of our protest if the talks (with Mahajan) are satisfactory. In case it is not, we will continue with the protest," he added.

The AIKS has planned the long march from Nashik to Mumbai to protest alleged betrayal of promises made to peasants by the Centre and the Maharashtra government.

AIKS general secretary Hannan Mollah was to lead the protest march.

Farmers from different parts of the state took part in the rally, said Dhawale.

The AIKS has accused the government of not fulfilling assurances given to farmers a year ago after they marched between the two cities, seeking farm loan waiver, minimum support price for crops, irrigation facilities and provision of pension to agriculturists.

Earlier in the day, the Left-leaning outfit accused the police of taking "suppressive" steps against cultivators wanting to participate in its long march.

Dhawale charged the police with stopping farmers approaching Nashik from Thane, Palghar and Ahmednagar districts for the stir.

Dhawale said the police action reflected how fidgety the BJP-led state government has turned in view of the long march that will culminate in Mumbai on February 27.

He also condemned the alleged suppressive measures the government and the police took against Maharashtra AIKS general secretary Ajit Nawale.

The AIKS also said it was opposed to the multi-billion dollar Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project which has seen several farmers along the proposed route approach court against land acquisition.

A farmers' march by the AIKS had last year forced the state government to give in principle acceptance to several of their demands.

"The AIKS strongly condemns the suppressive measures being resorted to by the government and police against Nawale," Dhawale said.

He said farmers on way to Nashik from Thane and Palghar districts were alleged stopped by the police at places like Jawhar, Dahanu and Vikramgad among others.

"Police had to slowly let go certain vehicles after two-hour struggle by the people. Police have been fleecing several farmers from Ahmednagar district too for past some days. The AIKS condemns these suppressive measures too," he said.

When contacted, a Nashik police official said no permission has been given for the march till now.

As farmers launch another stir, the opposition Congress hit out at the BJP-led government in the state and accused it of neglecting the agriculture sector.

All India Congress Committee secretary Ashish Dua called the government "incompetent, inefficient, ineffective and also insensitive to the demands of farmers".

"It (the government) has only aggravated their plight by ignoring real issues where farmer suicides, MSP, loan waivers etc haven't been addressed," Dua said.

Meanwhile, condemning the police "crackdown on farmers", the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) called the action "draconian" and expressed solidarity with the protesters.

"We have been receiving disturbing reports of police crackdown on farmers at various places across the state, including the arrest of a few farmer leaders. This is appalling, unconstitutional and must be opposed by everyone.

"We are with the farmers and will demonstrate the incompetency of the government and utter disregard to agriculture," said Ranga Rachure, co-convener, AAP Maharashtra.

AAP's Maharashtra convenor Sudhir Sawant said local volunteers of the party will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the farmers.