Mumbai, February 21: Over 50,000 farmers in Maharashtra are believed to have embarked on a nine-day-long 'Kisan Long March-2' from Nashik to Mumbai to protest over their long-pending demands. This is for the second time in the last 12 months that the farmers have called for a protest against what they termed a "betrayal" of the peasantry by the BJP governments in the state and the Centre. The protest is being organised by the CPI-M's farmer wing All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS).  Among the other demands, the farmers are demanding immediate relief in view of the drought-like situation, issues of irrigation, land rights, minimum support price and a crop insurance scheme.

AIKS President Ashok Dhawale said that this time the turnout of farmers was around 50,000- more than last year. Dhawale claimed that the state government was putting obstacles in the march and resorting to "repression" through the police against the peaceful procession. AIKS spokesperson PS Prasad told IANS said for several hours, police kept detaining groups of farmers coming to join the procession without assigning any reason. Cases are being lodged against our office-bearers. Kisan Long March Begins From Nashik to Mumbai, 50,000 Farmers to Participate Under AIKS Banner.

According to a tweet by ANI, members of All India Kisan Sabha have started their march from Nashik to Mumbai over various demands of farmers and tribals of the state. The march has attracted farmers from all over the state, including many women, and will end after 200 km in Mumbai on February 27, coinciding with the Budget Session of the Legislature. Reports inform that the march began on February 20 as talks between the state government officials and farmer leaders remained inconclusive on Sunday, February 17.

The march was flagged off on Wednesday where farmers from 23 districts across Maharashtra joined the march. It marked the fourth death anniversary of Communist ideologue Govind Pansare. According to reports, the decision for the march was taken at the February 13 farmers' convention in Ahmednagar. The organisers vowed that any attempts to 'crush' their democratic and peaceful march would fail to demoralize the farmers. After 180-km Long Kisan March, Wave of Farmers Under Red Flag Reach Mumbai, Plan to Gherao Assembly. 

In March 2018, the Maharashtra government had accepted a majority of their farmers' demands after a gruelling march by around 35,000 farmers carried on a protest.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 21, 2019 09:38 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).