Maharashtra’s Farmers Reach Rajasthan, to Join Protest Against Farm Laws at Delhi Border

Sendhwa: “Sarkar ne jo aag hamare dilo ke andar aag laga rakhi hai wo humein garm rakhe ge, Delhi ki sard hawao kaa hum par asar nahi hoga (The fire that the government has lit in our hearts will keep us warm; Delhi’s chilly winds will not affect us),” says Surija Vedga, a rice cultivator from Maharashtra’s Palghar district. Vedga hardly has any warm clothes on him as he heads to Delhi in a half-covered pickup truck to support of the ongoing farmers’ protest against the three contentious Farm Laws. 

Vedga is one of 700-odd farmers from Maharashtra who are on their way to protest at the Delhi-Rajasthan border. Their demands include a repeal of the three laws and withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020. The few resources and warm clothes they have accumulated are though crowd-funding.   
 
“Maharashtra ke logo ko thand bardaasht nahi hoti phir bhi ye Delhi ke karake ke thand me sarkar ke policies ka virodh karne ja rahe hai kyunki ke inke andar bohot gussa hai nai policy ko le kar (The people of Maharashtra can’t stand the cold but they are still on their way to Delhi to protest against the government’s policies since there is a lot of anger within them),” said Uday Narkar, state secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and one of the many leaders in the farmers’ convoy to Delhi.

Image Credit: Kashif Kakvi

 
Red flags dotted the muddy, serpentine ghats of Sendhwa on the third day of their march as they entered Madhya Pradesh from the Bijasan check post at Sendhwa. It is an entry point to the Hindi heartland, connecting Maharashtra to the northern states of Rajasthan and Delhi.
 
A row of trucks, tempos and jeeps made their way north, mounted red flags fluttering under a clear, blue winter sky. The vehicles have farmers from nearly 20 districts including Ahmednagar, Nashik, Kolhapur and Pune. They are loaded with gas-cylinders, wood for fuel and other supplies for the farmers.    
 
As the AIKS convoy reached the Bijasan check post, Medha Patkar, social activist and convener of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, and workers of other political parties and the Century Yarn mill welcomed them. The vehicles slowed down as people rushed to the streets to showers them with flowers. Their jatha received a similar response in Indore.
 
Small farmers – including the landless from tribal communities – and those that owned land but were suffering due to poor returns headed to Delhi for their rights. 

“Mai Delhi border per goli khane to taiyar hoon par ye kanoon mujhe manzur nahi, Jab tak ye kanoon kham nahi hota mai khilafat karunga (I am ready to take a bullet at the Delhi border but these laws are not acceptable to me; I will protest till they are done away with),” said 56-year-old Shindu Bai Gaikwad of Nashik district.

Image Credit: Kashif Kakvi

 
The jatha reached at Century Yarn Mill at on National Highway – 3 at around 2 pm. The factory, which was established by the Birla Group, was sold to another private company in 2017. The new owner shut down a full-fledged factory in the next two months, causing about a 1,000 workers to lose their jobs. The workers have been protesting that it be reopened. 
 
Farmer leaders, including Dr. Ashok Dhawale, Dr. Ajit Navale, Krishn Gujjar, JP Gamit, Uday Narkar and Medha Patkar addressed the workers and the farmers' convoy and urged that the protests be intensified. 
 
As the convoy reached Dharampuri in Dhar district, about 20 kms away from the mill, Panchilal Meda, the Congress MLA from Dharampuri, and workers from other political parties welcomed them with garlands.
  
The farmers from Maharashtra are travelling close to 1,300 kms to Delhi to register their protest against the Centre’s policies. 

Image Credit: Kashif Kakvi

 
“Using COVID-19 as an excuse, the Union Government has intentionally shutdown train services, forcing the marginalised farmers to travel in private vehicles. Covering nearly 1,300 kms in a private vehicle costs between Rs 25,000 and 30,000, including toll tax,” said J.P. Gamit, a seven-time MLA and Left leader.  
 
“Farming is the only means of earning for thousands of people. The COVID-19-induced lockdown pushed them to penury and now the Union Government’s three anti-farmer laws have added fuel to the fire,” said Dr. Ashok Dhawale, President, AIKS.  
 
Madhya Pradesh police vehicles guided the convoy en route through their journey. On Thursday morning, the police left them at Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan border in Kota.