More than 25,000 farmers led-by All Indian Kisan Sabha (AIKS) on Thursday, 8 March continued their march, protesting against Maharashtra government's anti-government policies, on the Mumbai-Agra National Highway, ANI reported.
The farmers commenced their 180-km-long march on Tuesday from Central Nashik, and are scheduled to gather at Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha on reaching Mumbai on 12 March.
The farmers are reportedly demanding not only a complete waiver of loans and electricity bills, but also the implementation of recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.
Media is totally blind to this mass agitation of farmers of Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/Jdaj7ACt5p
March 8, 2018The Fadnavis government has been under attack for not being able to honour assurances the farm loan waiver of Rs 34,000 crore announced in June 2017.
Speaking to NDTV, Raju Desle of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) said:
We want the state government to refrain from forceful acquisition of farm lands in the name of development projects like the super highway and tracks for bullet trainsMaharashtra farmers long march from Nasik to Mumbai to press their various demands. Over 50,000 farmers participated in this march. pic.twitter.com/FuxtsPRN62
March 8, 2018Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Pandurang Fundkar told PTI that the government has sent a memorandum to the Centre seeking a financial assistance of Rs. 2,400 crore for “pink bollworm” attacks on cotton crops and damage to crops caused by hailstorms and unseasonal rain.
According to Desle, as many as 1,753 farmers have committed suicide since June last year.
(With inputs from NDTV, ANI)
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