IANS
Mumbai, June 3: In a major embarrassment for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, hours after the Kisan Kranti Saturday announced its decision to “withdraw” the two-day-old statewide strike, leaders of various associations rejected its call and continued their agitation.
The “withdrawal” announcement came after a meeting between the government and a delegation of Kisan Kranti core committee members early Saturday.
“Since the government has conceded 70 percent of our demands, we have decided to call off the strike,” said core committee member Dhananjay Jadhav after the meeting.
However, in a virtual somersault a few hours later, another core committee leader Jayaji Suryawanshi apologised for the decision, admitting to media persons that “it was error to withdraw the strike without consulting all other farmers groups”.
Another prominent agitation leader and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana chief Raju Shetti dismissed the developments saying the core committee members were “inexperienced” in negotiating with the government on their pending issues.
Farmer leaders from Karad, Sangli, Panjabrao Patil and Sachin Nalavade, said the strike “continues as usual” as the government has not given anything in writing.
They added that the proposed Maharashtra Bandh call Monday, lockout of government offices Tuesday and ‘gherao’ (siege) of offices of legislators and ministers in the state programmes also remain unchanged.
Another important farmers leader Raghunath Patil said: “There’s no question of calling off the agitation. It continues. This is time for action, not assurances.”
He rejected contentions that the farmers’ agitation had split and said a majority of the organisations are in the dark about what transpired at the meeting Saturday.
Hitting back, Fadnavis said in Beed that the government is open to the crucial issue of farm loans waiver on which a decision will be taken by October 31. “We will set up a committee which will include farmers representatives within a month to go into waiver question and other demands,” said Fadnavis, accusing the opposition parties of attempting to drive a wedge among the farmers.
The Kisan Kranti Core Committee from Puntambe in Ahmednagar had made seven major demands: complete farm loans waiver package, total implementation of the M.S. Swaminathan Committee report, adequate minimum support prices, zero interest credit to farmers, pension for farmers above 60 years, `50 per litre price for milk, uninterrupted power supply to farms and full subsidy for drip/sprinkler irrigation.
