5,000 farmers from Maharashtra to join Delhi protests on Christmas Eve

Farmers during their protest at the Delhi-Haryana Singhu border on Friday. PIC/PTI

The protests by farmers against the central government's new farm laws at Delhi's borders are set to gain strength with about 5,000 of their counterparts from over 20 districts of Maharashtra planning to join them and pledge support to the ongoing agitation. They will assemble at Nashik's Golf Club on December 21 and kick off a 1,200 km-long 'Vehicular March' or 'Vehicle Jattha' to Delhi.

AIKS leaders announced their march to Delhi, at a press meet in Nashik on Friday

Organised under the leadership of the All India Kisan Sabha's (AIKS) Maharashtra unit, the farmers are scheduled to join the ongoing protest at the Rajasthan-Haryana border in Shahjahanpur on the eve of Christmas (December 24). The march will start after a public meeting at Nashik to be held by the AIKS on December 21 followed by a demonstration at the Reliance Petrol Pump after leaving.

Main demands

"Thousands of people from Ozar, Pimpalgaon Baswant, Chandwad, Umrane, Malegaon, Dhule and Shirpur in Nashik and Dhule districts will join the march before entering Madhya Pradesh," said AIKS leaders at a press conference on Friday, where the decision was announced by AIKS National President Dr Ashok Dhawale, former State President J P Gavit, ex-MLA, State General Secretary Dr Ajit Nawale, State Joint Secretary Sunil Malusare and CITU State President Dr D L Karad.

The leaders further said, "The farmers have three main demands - repeal the three anti-farmer and pro-corporate farm laws, withdraw the Electricity Amendment Bill and ensure legal measures to provide MSP at one-and-a-half times the cost of production and procurement at MSP rates."

Speaking to mid-day, AIKS National President, Dr Dhawale said that there were two reasons behind the decision to conduct the march - to prove to the central government that it was a nationwide movement and not one in which farmers from only a few states were taking part, and to further intensify the protests.

Vehicular march

"We want to counter the government propaganda that this is just a struggle of Punjab and Haryana. It will be a slap on their (central government's) face when thousands of farmers from across Maharashtra will join the ongoing agitation at the borders. At least 5,000 farmers are expected to join from Nashik. We will be travelling in cars, trucks and tempos. There won't be any tractors and trolleys because then it will take a long time to complete the journey."

AIKS State General Secretary, Dr Ajit Nawale said, "Despite the overwhelming support from other states across the country during the nationwide protests on December 3 and the Bharat Bandh on December 8, farmers from far-flung states have not yet been able to directly participate in the Delhi protests. Despite being far away from Delhi, Maharashtra is becoming the first state to reach the national capital in thousands."

He further said, "As the Modi government is bringing in agricultural laws for the benefit of corporates, the battle is against the central government and its corporate partners, which is why there will be a strong protest at the Reliance Petrol Pump in Nashik before the convoy leaves for Delhi. The Kisan Sabha is appealing to all the farmers of Maharashtra to join the Delhi Chalo movement."

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