‘Farmers-wave’ in Maharashtra: Sena, NCP, Congress to protest

The agitation is part of the all-India 3-day action launched since Sunday in all states to express solidarity with the farmers in Delhi demanding a complete repeal of the 3 farm laws.

Mumbai: The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress will join the Samyukt Shetkari Kamgar Morcha (SSKM) Mumbai rally on Monday to oppose the three new farm laws, top organisers said here on Monday.

NCP President Sharad Pawar, Congress state President and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, and Sena’s Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray shall participate at the rally in Azad Maidan where over 15,000 farmers reached late on Sunday in a ‘Vehicle Morcha’ from Nashik.

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After the rally, the farmers and leaders shall take out a procession to Raj Bhavan and submit a memorandum to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari with their list of demands pertaining to farmers and workers, said All India Kisan Sabha President Dr. Ashok Dhawale.

The agitation is part of the all-India 3-day action launched since Sunday in all states to express solidarity with the farmers in Delhi demanding a complete repeal of the 3 farm laws, terming them as ‘anti-farmer’, said AIKS General Secretary Dr. Ajit Nawale.

On Tuesday, the farmers will assemble at Azad Maidan and solemnly unfurl the National Tricolour and take a pledge to continue the struggle of peasants-farmers till they get justice, the leaders added.

The Mumbai Police have made elaborate security arrangements at the Azad Maidan with police personnel assisted by 9 platoons of the SRPF, drones and other agencies deployed.

The January 26 action will coincide with the proposed ‘Farmers Republic Day Parade’ in the national capital in which an estimated 100,000 tractors have reached the Delhi borders.

“The programme here is to support of the historic two-month long farmers agitation in Delhi, and we also demand a total repeal of the 3 draconian farm laws imposed by the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre, and other related issues,” Dhawale said.

The other demands include enacting a central law guaranteeing MSP and procurement, withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill, repealing the four Labour Codes, vesting all forest, pasture and temple lands in the names of the tillers and resuming implementation of the loan waiver scheme in Maharashtra suspended duo to the Corona pandemic.

The farmers 100-plus groups under the SSKM banner are led by Dhawale, AIKS vice-president D.L. Karad, AIDWA general secretary Mariam Dhawale, AIKS state chief Kisan Gujar and general secretary Ajit Nawale, besides other leaders like CPI(M) MLA Vinod Nikole, Sunil Malusare, Preethy Sekhar and Kavita Vare.

Among those slated to address the rally this afternoon includes Dhawale, SSKM’s Hannan Mollah, Pawar, Thorat, Aditya Thackeray, and other political leaders.