Farmers reach Mumbai, vow to intensify agitation

Travelling for more than 200 kms over last two days, thousands of farmers from across Maharashtra reached Mumbai on Sunday evening for an agitation against the contentious three farm laws and in solidarity with the farmers protesting at the Delhi borders. The farmers have announced to take out a morcha to Raj Bhavan after a public meeting at Azad Maidan on Monday.

Ruling parties Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress and other political parties including Aam Admi Party, communist parties have announced their support to the agitation.

Key leaders including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Sena leader Aaditya Thakeray, state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat are likely to join the sit-in protest at Azad Maidan on Monday.

This is a part of agitation being undertaken under the banner of Samyukt Shetkari Kamgar Morcha (SSKM) which aims to intensify the farmers struggle in main capital cities across all the states. Manay social and political outfits and labour unions have joined hands under SSKM to support the protest.

The farmers who started their vehicle march from Nashik on Saturday. According to the organisers, farmers from as many as 21 districts have joined the march from Nashik.

Rajesh Pinjarkar, who owns three acres land in Chandrapur, called it a conspiracy against the farmers. “We might get good price in the beginning but after that they will take over our land and make us contract workers there,” said Pinjarkar.

Leelatai Valvi, who travelled from Nandurbar for 17 hours to come to Mumbai said the whole aim of these laws was to enslave them. “These are black laws meant to snatch our livelihood and hand over our land to the multinational companies,” said Valvi.