There are however signs of panic in the circles of power with cases being filed against kisan leaders like Dr Ajit Nawale and reports of arrests coming in from Dhule, ostensibly to stall the Long March 2.0. With talks remaining inconclusive amidst allegations of apathy against the Fadnavis government, the AIKS plans to begin the march in Nashik on 20th February, entering Mumbai on the 27th of February. But today, activists like Kishore Dhamale and Subhash Kakuste, leading a group of farmers under the banner of Satyashodhak Shetkari Sangathana who had left Dhule to join the Long March were arrested. Reacting to the arrests, Prasad Subramanium, member of the AIKS, speaking to Sabrang said, “The farmers wont get intimidated by forceful tactics of the government, the farmers are resolved to take the Long March forward”. Talking about the sense of betrayal among farmers he said, “After last year’s long march the government had formed a committee with members of the AIKS in it to address the farmers’ distress. It has been almost a year, the govt has not even called for a single meeting of the committee, even after repeated agitations including a jail bharo last year”. According to him,pictures, news and videos from the farmer’s march would be updated on twitter under the hashtag #kisanmarchesagain.
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