Maharashtra Farmer Protest

The Centre is ready to purchase onions from farmers which remain unsold or cannot be auctioned even as attempts are being made to find a way out in view of the export ban, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said procurement of onion crops at the 'historic' price of Rs 2,410 per quintal - a move in response to protests by farmers over the 40 per cent export duty on the staple vegetable - began at noon on Tuesday.

The march was organised by the CPM and besides farmers, many workers in the unorganised sector, such as ASHA workers, and members of tribal communities participated in it.

A 58-year-old participant in the long march of thousands of farmers and tribals from Nashik district in North Maharashtra to Mumbai has died, an official said on Saturday.

An unexpected spell of rain in Maharashtra's Vasind has enforced some much-needed rest to the footsore farmers marching to Mumbai to flag their demands. The downside -- few will get any sleep tonight.

Cracked soles, swollen feet and many companions hospitalised - farmers marching from Nashik to Mumbai are braving all odds to continue their agitation for relief to onion growers and several other demands.

The Maharashtra government on Thursday will hold another round of talks with a delegation representing thousands of farmers and tribals, who are walking towards Mumbai, in its bid to address their demands.

Distressed by the crash in prices of onions, a farmer in Nashik district of Maharashtra lit a bonfire of the crop in protest against the government's policies and to highlight the plight of growers.

Mr Dongre said he had written a letter with his blood to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde inviting him to the onion burning ceremony so that he could see the condition of farmers himself.

A farmer buried himself partially in the mud in protest against the non-possession of land allotted to him under a welfare scheme in Maharashtra over three years ago.

His comments come at a time when farmers in the state have been protesting against electricity bills. Mr Raut, however, has made his intentions clear that power supply will be cut off if bills are not paid on time.

Shops will remain shut across Maharashtra today as the state government has called a bandh to protest against the killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar reportedly made some comments yesterday about amending Maharashtra's farm law. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, however, seemed to have taken them for views on the Centre's controversial pieces of legislation.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis traded sharp words Tuesday on the political row that has erupted over Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar's tweets in support of the centre and its handling of the farmers' protest

Even as the district administration in Maharashtra's Yavatmal has denied permission to the February 20 ''Maha Panchayat'' of farmer leader Rakesh Tikait due to rising COVID-19 cases, its organiser- Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM)- on Friday said it is firm on holding the public meeting there.

The Centre is ready to purchase onions from farmers which remain unsold or cannot be auctioned even as attempts are being made to find a way out in view of the export ban, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said procurement of onion crops at the 'historic' price of Rs 2,410 per quintal - a move in response to protests by farmers over the 40 per cent export duty on the staple vegetable - began at noon on Tuesday.

The march was organised by the CPM and besides farmers, many workers in the unorganised sector, such as ASHA workers, and members of tribal communities participated in it.

A 58-year-old participant in the long march of thousands of farmers and tribals from Nashik district in North Maharashtra to Mumbai has died, an official said on Saturday.

An unexpected spell of rain in Maharashtra's Vasind has enforced some much-needed rest to the footsore farmers marching to Mumbai to flag their demands. The downside -- few will get any sleep tonight.

Cracked soles, swollen feet and many companions hospitalised - farmers marching from Nashik to Mumbai are braving all odds to continue their agitation for relief to onion growers and several other demands.

The Maharashtra government on Thursday will hold another round of talks with a delegation representing thousands of farmers and tribals, who are walking towards Mumbai, in its bid to address their demands.

Distressed by the crash in prices of onions, a farmer in Nashik district of Maharashtra lit a bonfire of the crop in protest against the government's policies and to highlight the plight of growers.

Mr Dongre said he had written a letter with his blood to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde inviting him to the onion burning ceremony so that he could see the condition of farmers himself.

A farmer buried himself partially in the mud in protest against the non-possession of land allotted to him under a welfare scheme in Maharashtra over three years ago.

His comments come at a time when farmers in the state have been protesting against electricity bills. Mr Raut, however, has made his intentions clear that power supply will be cut off if bills are not paid on time.

Shops will remain shut across Maharashtra today as the state government has called a bandh to protest against the killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar reportedly made some comments yesterday about amending Maharashtra's farm law. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, however, seemed to have taken them for views on the Centre's controversial pieces of legislation.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis traded sharp words Tuesday on the political row that has erupted over Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar's tweets in support of the centre and its handling of the farmers' protest

Even as the district administration in Maharashtra's Yavatmal has denied permission to the February 20 ''Maha Panchayat'' of farmer leader Rakesh Tikait due to rising COVID-19 cases, its organiser- Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM)- on Friday said it is firm on holding the public meeting there.