Mumbai, Mar 12: While extending support to the 'Kisan Long March' which entered Mumbai today, Congress president Rahul Gandhi trained guns on Centre, blaming the "anti-farmer" policies of the Narendra Modi government for the "nation-wide agrarian distress".

"This is not an issue of Maharashtra farmers alone but of farmers all over India," Rahul Gandhi said, while appealing the Devendra Fadnavis-led government in the state to take immediate measures to address their concerns.

The Congress leadership in Maharashtra extended support to the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), which has been leading the march of 50,000 farmers.

The march, which began in Nashik on Tuesday, culminated in Mumbai after mapping a distance of 180-km.

The protesters had planned to gherao the assembly today to press for their demands. However, the AIKS leaders restricted the farmers at Azad Maidan after government invited them for talks.

"The march to assembly has not been cancelled but only deferred. We will take a call after meeting the Chief Minister," AIKS president Ashok Dhawale said. The meeting with Fadnavis was scheduled to begin at 11:30 am.

Among the list of demands raised by the Kisan Sabha, include a "complete agrarian loan-waiver", increase in minimum support prices (MSP) by 150 per cent, allocation of land to adivasi cultivators and increase in compensation to farmers affected unseasonal rains and hailstorm last month.

Apart from the Congress, other opposition parties in the state, including Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Peasants and Workers' Party (PWP) have extended support to the farmers' agitation.

The Shiv Sena, which is ruling the state as a junior alliance partner with the BJP, has also backed the agitation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 12, 2018 11:37 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).