Maharashtra farmers to march to Raj Bhavan on Monday, will be joined by Sharad Pawar, Aaditya Thackeray, Balasaheb Thorat

Farmers’ outfits in the state will stage protests in Mumbai with a march to Raj Bhavan on Monday, to protest against the farm laws. The farmers will be joined by top leaders like Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena leader and state environment minister Aaditya Thackeray and state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat. The organisers claimed that around 50,000 farmers will participate in the protests.

The march is part of the agitation being undertaken under the banner of Samyukt Shetkari Kamgar Morcha (SSKM) and aims to intensify the farmers’ struggle in the main capital cities across all states.

“Since the Governor is the representative of the Narendra Modi government in Maharashtra, we will march to Raj Bhavan and hand him the petition against the farm laws,” said Ashok Dhawale, convenor, SSKM.

“We met Sharad Pawar, Aaditya Thackeray and Balasaheb Thorat, and all have agreed to participate in the Monday Morcha,” he added.

The farmers will gather in Mumbai on January 24, and a massive dharna will be organised at Azad Maidan. On January 25, the morcha to Raj Bhavan will be held, and it will culminate with a flag hoisting on January 26, Republic Day.

“We will come on street on behalf of the farmers and take part in the morcha,” said Congress leader Naseem Khan. He said that the Congress will take part in every agitation till these farm laws are withdrawn.

The farmers will be joined by activists of some 100 different outfits.

Thousands of farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national Capital since November 26 last year, against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Social activist Feroze Mithiborwala, who is another organiser, said it was an attempt to sensitise the urban population of these regressive bills. “The whole aim of these farm bills is to favour the multinational corporations at the cost of farmers. The urban people are being made aware of how it will play havoc with the entire rural economy, and even they will bear the brunt as they will be saddled with huge food bills,” said Mithiborwala.

Last week, many labour unions marched in south Mumbai and held a rally at Azad Maidan in favour of the farmers. Prominent farmer leader Raju Shetti and social activist Medha Patkar addressed the rally.