Farmers, tribals march to Mumbai to press for demands

Thousands of farmers and tribal residents were marching towards Mumbai from Nashik on Tuesday to press for land rights and other long-pending demands, even as the Maharashtra government invited a delegation of the protesters for talks later in the day, a representative of the agitation said.
The protesters, carrying red flags and led by the CPI(M)-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), began the “long march” on Sunday after an agitation outside the Dindori tehsil office in Nashik district failed to elicit any concrete assurances. Former MLA J P Gavit said the demonstrators then decided to take their demands directly to the state government by marching on foot to Mumbai.
According to Gavit, the marchers have made arrangements for food, grain, firewood and other essential supplies required for the duration of the protest. The group, comprising a large number of farmers, has covered nearly 60 km over the past two days and began its descent through the Kasara Ghat on Tuesday morning. The protesters have now left Nashik district and entered neighbouring Thane district.Gavit claimed that sustained mobilisation and extensive media coverage of the march prompted the state government to invite a delegation of the protesters for discussions at the Mantralaya in Mumbai on Tuesday.He said the delegation would include himself, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and AIKS national president Ashok Dhawale, Kisan Sabha national joint secretary Ajit Navale, and MLA Vinod Nikole. The delegation is expected to hold talks with the chief minister and other concerned ministers.
“Tribal farmers from Peth, Surgana, Kalwan and Trimbakeshwar talukas are participating in the agitation to draw attention to unresolved issues related to land rights, irrigation and forest claims,” Gavit said. He noted that these drought-prone areas have long demanded the construction of large check dams on west-flowing rivers and their tributaries to ensure adequate irrigation for agriculture.The protesters are also seeking regularisation of cultivation on encroached land up to four hectares, issuance of land records, re-examination of rejected forest rights claims, and procurement of agricultural produce from forest landholders at minimum support prices.
The march has disrupted traffic in parts of Dindori over the past two days, where protesters had staged a sit-in, leading to congestion and diversion of vehicles through alternative routes.Gavit said a meeting has already been held with Nashik Collector Ayush Prasad, during which it was agreed that local issues would be addressed at the district level, while state-level demands would be taken up with the government in Mumbai.