Protesting Maharashtra farmers caned on Independence Day

Maharashtra farmers protesting against the non-implementation of the farm loans waiver package were caned on Tuesday in some parts of the state. Many others were

Maharashtra farmers protesting against the non-implementation of the farm loans waiver package were caned on Tuesday in some parts of the state. Many others were arrested, a farmer leader said.

In this May 11, 2016 file photo, farmer Anant More inspects his destroyed crop of sugarcane due to drought in Marathwada region. (AP Photo)

All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) joint secretary Ashok Dhawale said hundreds of farmers who were protesting peacefully in Ahmednagar, Nashik and Parbhani, raising slogans like “Bharatmata ki Jai”, suffered at the hands of the authorities.

“In Ahmednagar, we sought a meeting with the guardian m+inister Ram Shinde to submit a memorandum of our demands, but the police resorted to mercilessly caning us,” Dhawale said.

Several farmer leaders including AIKS-Maharashtra General Secretary Ajit Navale, Farmers Action Committee leaders Balasaheb Patare, Subhash Lande, Sanjeev Bhor, Mahesh Navale, Nilesh Talekar and Rajendra Bavke were detained.

Dhawale said several farmers and their leaders were placed under preventive detention since Monday when they had organised road blocks in different parts of the state for immediate implementation of the farm loans waiver package announced by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on June 11.

Protesting farmers in Pune demanded that instead of Guardian Minister Girish Bapat, the flag-hoisting should be done by a farmer or a fallen soldier’s widow.

In Aurangabad, farmers protested outside the Collectorate when guardian minister Ramdas Kadam came for the flag hoisting ceremony. Many were detained by the police.