IT Correspondent
Mumbai, Jan 25:
Thousands of farmers reached Mumbai from different parts of Maharashtra to join a rally in response to a call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), as a protest against farm acts passed by the centre, on Monday.
The rally was organised in response to the call given by the SKM, which is leading the protests in Delhi, to intensify and broaden the struggle.
The farmers converged at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai to join a sit-in and march to Raj Bhavan, where a memorandum will be submitted to the Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. Maharashtra Minister Balasaheb Thorat (Congress) and NCP chief Sharad Pawar reached Azad Maidan. Shiv Sena leader and Minister Aditya Thackeray was to reach the venue soon. The leaders were to address the rally soon.
The leaders of all three parties in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi, including NCP, Congress state and Shiv Sena, leaders of the Left and democratic parties, are to attend the rally and address the meeting.
“This march is being held to support and expand the historic two month long farmers struggle in Delhi for the repeal of the three farm laws and for a central law to guarantee a remunerative MSP and procurement all over the country,” All India Kisan Sabha(AIKS) national president Dr Ashok Dhawale said.
“Our main demands are that the three anti-farmer, anti-people and pro-corporate farm laws be repealed. We want enactment of a central law guaranteeing remunerative MSP and procurement. We are also seeking the withdrawal the Electricity Amendment Bill, repeal the four Labour Codes, vest all forest, temple and pasture lands etc in the names of the tillers, and resume the implementation of the Mahatma Phule Loan Waiver Scheme for farmers, which had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dhawale said.