Mumbai, Mar 12: When 50,000 farmers marched to the financial capital of India, it was expected to draw an adverse reaction due to the potential commutation woes and traffic logjam. Contrary to this perception, another side of Mumbai came to the fore with its residents welcoming the wave of farmers under the red flag with chants of Lal Salaam. 

Mumbaikars, as the city residents are popularly called, offered snacks, water and moral support to the protesting farmers enroute. While a langar was organised by a Sikh group to arrange for their dinner last night, the South Mumbai-based Rahmani group took care of their breakfast as the agitators reached the Azad Maidan.

At 4:30 am, the farmers marching enroute to Azad Maidan were offered breakfast by volunteers of the Rahmania group. (Image: Facebook/Ram Ramakumar)
At 4:30 am, the farmers marching enroute to Azad Maidan were offered breakfast by volunteers of the Rahmania group. (Image: Facebook/Ram Ramakumar)

Students of the IIT-Bombay and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences also volunteered to distribute biscuits and mineral water to the farmers as they reached Sion via Thane route on Sunday.

"They are not rioters or hooligans. These farmers are the ones who feed us. The apathy of the ruling class has forced them to walk down 200-km and ask for their rights," said IIT-Bombay researcher Bhushan Pandey.

On social media, the complaints related to clogging and traffic woes were not visible. Apart from the sensitivity of Mumbaikars, the credit is also being given to the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), which ensured the protesters adhered to the norms laid down by the Mumbai Police.

A gesture which struck the chord of Mumbaikars was the Kisan Sabha's decision to march from Somaiya Ground in Sion to South Mumbai's Azad Maidan in the midnight, in order to prevent hardship to Class 10th students who were scheduled to appear for their board exams today.

"Great to see the support that the farmers received once they entered Mumbai. Well done Mumbai. It shows that you care even if the government does not. I think we are witnessing an event that might eventually turn out to be a watershed in Indian politics, said IPS Sanjiv Bhatt.

Here are other prominent reactions:

AIKS president Ashok Dhawale, while speaking to reporters, assured the law and order would not be violated by the protesters. "These are farmers who have been forced to come on the road to demand their rights. They are not paid cadres of political parties who will resort to hooliganism," he said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 12, 2018 02:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).