Farmers dump tur dal, bananas, onions at secretariat gate

A group of farmers dumped tur dal, bananas and onions at the gate of state secretariat here to highlight the problems being faced by agriculturists in Maharashtra.
The protesters, hailing from Pandharpur in Solapur district, were members of the Baliraja Shetkari Sanghatnan, an organisation of cultivators.
The farmers arrived at Mantralaya (secretariat) in south Mumbai and suddenly started throwing stocks of tur dal, banana and onion near its gate. They also raised slogans against the BJP-led government and accused it being insensitive towards their plight.
Security personnel posted at the gate detained the agitating farmers.
A similar agitation was carried out by the members of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna on March 7 outside Vidhan Bhavan.

The organisation is led by Raju Shetti, a Lok Sabha MP and an ally of the ruling BJP.