In Ahmednagar district, more than 15,000 farmers from Maharashtra have embarked on a foot march to seek their numerous rights, including fair compensation for land acquisition and market-competitive prices for milk, cotton, and other commodities. The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS)-sponsored march started on Wednesday in Ahmednagar from Akole and included a number of women as well. The march’s conclusion will take place on Friday in Loni in the area, which is 230 km away from Akole. According to a statement from the AIKS, the farmers waving red flags of the AIKS yelled slogans to express their demands and called the state administration “corrupt”.
The AIKS wants land to be vested in the names of peasants and agricultural workers, reasonable remuneration for the purchase of necessary land, and fair prices for milk, cotton, soyabeans, tur, grains, and other agricultural products. The farmers, who have been opposed to the import of milk and dairy products, have also called for adequate compensation for crop loss due to natural disasters, increased pensions for peasants, agricultural workers, and the poor, medical insurance and housing for construction workers, and increased pay and status of government employees for anganwadi, ASHA (accredited social health activist), mid-day meal, and other unorganised workers.
According to the protest organisers, a team from the AIKS was called to a meeting at the Sahyadri state guest house in Mumbai on Tuesday by Maharashtra Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, whose office in Loni the march would climax. “While some progress was made in the discussion as regards his (Vikhe Patil’s) revenue and dairy development departments, no other minister concerned was present with regard to the issues raised by the AIKS,” the group said in a statement. According to the announcement, “that is why the AIKS decided to go ahead with this march, despite requests from the state government to cancel it.”
Dr. Ashok Dhawale, president of AIKS, presided over a gathering of farmers on Wednesday before the march started. R. Ramakumar, an economist, spoke to the farmers. Famous journalist P Sainath has been participating in the march with farmers.
