Maharashtra Farmer protest: This is the third mass protest of farmers in Maharashtra within a year.
Thousands of farmers took the streets continuing their protest march towards Mumbai's Azad Maidain to demand loan waiver among other issues. Farmers from across Maharashtra, under Lok Sangharsh Morcha, began their march on Tuesday and reached Mumbai's Azad Maidan this afternoon. They are scheduled to meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis later in the day and put forwards their demands. This is the third mass protest of farmers in Maharashtra within a year. According to reports, the farmers are also likely to take up the issue of the implementation of Forests Rights Act with the Chief Minister.
Here are the live updates of the Maharashtra farmer's protest march:
Farmers across Maharashtra gathered in Thane yesterday where they began their march, led by Swaraj Abhiyan activist Yogendra Yadav and conservationist Rajendra Singh. They reached Azad Maidan in Mumbai this afternoon and may hold protests near the Mantralaya or the state secretariat. (Image: ANI)
The protesters who reached Dadar early this morning, arrived at Azad Maidan. They are to meet the chief minister soon.
Meanwhile, Mumbai police issued a traffic advisory ahead of the protests:
Over 20,000 farmers began a two-day march from Thane to Mumbai's iconic Azad Maidan yesterday, eight months after a similar protest saw a sea of red - formed by farmers in red caps - on a long march through Maharashtra.
What the farmers are demanding among other issues?
- Compensation for drought
- An unconditional farm loan waiver
- Transfer of forest rights to tribal
In the run-up to the 2019 national election, states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab have been facing massive farmer protests. On November 18, over 70 trains were disrupted in Punjab near Dasua, where farmers sat on rail tracks protesting non-payment of sugarcane dues by the state government.