Farmers to court mass arrests in Maha on May 14: Patil

Farmers in Maharashtra will court mass arrests in various districts of the state on May 14, the latest in a series of stirs against the BJP-led state government.

Farmer leader Raghunath Patil today said lakhs of farmers under the aegis of the Shetkari Sanghatna Sukanu Samiti would participate in the "Jail Bharo" protest next month.

Patil, president of the Samiti, said the farmers were agitated due to the "insensitive" approach of the state government towards their problems.

Patil said besides demands like a complete loan waiver and lifting of export duty on agricultural produce, farmers also want their power bills waived.

He said political parties like the Shiv Sena, the Congress and the NCP are only doing a lip service to the cause of the farmers.

"These three parties have enough strength to bring in a proposal in the Legislative Assembly for a complete loan waiver for farmers but they are not doing so, which shows their double standards," said Patil.

Patil is spearheading the 'Jan Jagran Yatra' which kicked off from Sangli in western Maharashtra on March 23.

The yatra will culminate in Pune on April 27.

Due to unprecedented protests by farmers, the state government had announced a conditional loan waiver worth Rs 34,000 crore in June last year.

Last month, farmers from various parts of the state took out a long march from Nashik to Mumbai for various demands.