‘Long March’ returns: Tribal people, farmers are again walking to…..
India: Five years after it launched a 180-km-long foot march of tribal people, farm labourers and farmers to Mumbai, the CPI(M) has revived this form of protest in Maharashtra to press for demands such as implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 and farm-loan waivers.
Around 10,000 farmers, on March 13, joined the ‘Kisan Long March’, launched by the CPI(M)’s All India Kisan Samiti (AIKS), from Nashik to Mumbai. The protesters are seeking the implementation of a 17-point charter of demands, such as remunerative prices for crops like onions, cotton, soybean, tur and green gram; complete farm-loan waivers; a write-off of all power bills for agricultural consumers; 12-hour supply of power; and increase in pensions under schemes like old age pension. The AIKS also wants the old pension scheme (OPS) restored for the estimated 1.7 million state government employees.
The march is being led by Dr Ashok Dhawale, member of the CPI(M) Politburo; former MLA Jiva Pandu Gavit; Dr Ajit Navale of the AIKS; Uday Narkar, secretary of the Maharashtra state committee of the CPI(M); and others. More people are expected to join the protesters along the way.
