This story is from February 21, 2019

Nashik farmers continue march toward Mumbai as talks inconclusive

​Farmers have embarked on a 180-km march from Nashik to Mumbai for the second time in the last 12 months to protest against what they termed as the "betrayal" of peasants by the BJP governments at the state and centre.
Thousands of farmers march from Nashik to Mumbai demanding loan waiver
Farmers have embarked on a 180-km march from Nashik to Mumbai
Key Highlights
  • The farmers' long march from Nashik to Mumbai will continue, the march organisers said
  • The march is expected to take over nine days to complete
  • The march could not be taken out Wednesday as police stopped many farmers from reaching Nashik
MUMBAI/NASHIK: The long march of farmers finally began from Nashik toward Mumbai after their talks with water resources minister Girlish Mahajan remained inconclusive on late Wednesday night. Farmers want acceptance of their demands in writing.
"The farmers' long march from Nashik to Mumbai will continue," said leaders of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), which is organising the march.
The AIKS want acceptance of their demands in written.


Mahajan assured the AIKS leaders that he would hold talks with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and get back to them.
NASHIK FARMER MARCH
Farmers have embarked on a 180-km march from Nashik to Mumbai

The march, which was supposed to start from Nashik by 6pm on Wednesday, was apparently delayed as Mahajan wanted to have a dialogue with the AIKS leaders on the issue.


"We had meeting with Mahajan for almost two-and-a-half hours, but no consensus arrived at a meeting. We insisted Mahajan that they would not stop our long march till the government gives its commitment in written," said Ashok Dhavle, president of the AIKS.

"We have now started our long march towards Mumbai. Mahajan has assured us to get back to us following discussion with the chief minister. We will stop the march if government gives us its assurance in written," said Dhavle.
Farmers want the government to give loan waiver to all farmers in a blanket manner. Moreover, they also want waters of the west flowing rivers to be diverted towards Marathwada and north Maharashtra so that farmland in these regions come under irrigation.
The other demands include implementation of recommendations of the Swaminathan commission, and transfer of the forest land to those farmers who are cultivating on it.
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Farmers have embarked on a 180-km march from Nashik to Mumbai for the second time in the last 12 months to protest against what they termed as the "betrayal" of peasants by the BJP governments at the state and centre.
The march could not be taken out Wednesday as police stopped many farmers from reaching Nashik, the AIKS claimed.
The AIKS has accused the government of not fulfilling assurances given to farmers last year after they marched between the two cities, seeking farm loan waiver, minimum support price for crops, irrigation facilities and provision of pension to agriculturists.
The AIKS also said it is opposed to the multi-billion dollar Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project which has seen several farmers along the proposed route approach court against land acquisition.
(With PTI inputs)
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