Mah farmers reach Delhi border, join protesting farmers

Maharashtra farmers, who had started a vehicle march on December 21st to join the protesting farmers in Delhi, reached the National Capital today, covering a journey of 1,300km. Thousands of farmers from different districts in the state gathered in Nashik four days ago, to travel to Delhi under the banner of All India Kisan Sabha, Maharashtra. The farmers reached Delhi’s Shahjahanpur border on Friday.

Addressing the gathering at the Shahjahanpur border, AIKS National President Ashok Dhawale said that this protest has now turned into an agitation of the farmers from across the nation. “No farmers’ organisations had asked for these laws. Corporates like Ambani and Adani wanted these laws who want the country’s agricultural system to fall in their hands. The government did everything in their power to crush the protests, to defame and discredit the farmers, but they did not succeed.”

Thousands of farmers are now agitating at and blocking several entry and exit points of Delhi at Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur, Chilla, Shahjahanpur borders. “The agitation has stopped all conveyance between the National Capital Delhi and India’s financial capital Mumbai,” Dhawale said.

While the Central Government earlier propagated the narrative that farmers from Punjab and Haryana only were against the laws, Dhawale asked them to come and see that farmers from different corners of the country were at the Delhi borders. He also warned that thousands of more farmers are reaching these five borders in the coming days, and this agitation will not stop until the demand of the farmers to withdraw the farm laws.

On reaching, the farmer leaders from Maharashtra handed over the medicinal supplies that they had carried from the state for the protesting farmers to Amra Ram, AIKS Leader from Rajasthan and Ranjit Raju from Samyukt Kisan Morcha.

Speaking about the journey yesterday, Maharashtra AIKS General Secretary Ajit Nawale also shared that they were met with love throughout their journey. “In Madhya Pradesh, farmers as well as their representatives welcomed our jatha. In Kota, we stayed in a Gurdwara, where our hosts took care of us. In Delhi, we will be greeted by representatives of 208 farmers’ organisations,” Nawale said.

AIKS National President Dr Ashok Dhawale, Maharashtra AIKS Leaders JP Gavit, Dr Ajit Nawale, Kisan Gujar, Uday Narkar, Umesh Deshmukh led the vehicle Jatha that began in Nashik a massive public meeting on December 21st. The march was welcomed by farmers and activists enroute in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released Rs 18,000 crore as next installment of financial benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in the bank accounts of nine crore farmers. Interacting with farmers from six states virtually, the PM also said that the protests were politically motivated, and some people are spreading myths about the laws. In Uttarakhand's Dehradun, farmers protesting against the farm laws ran tractor over a barricade, as the policemen were trying to hold them back.