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As many as 20,000 farmers will start a statewide Vehicle march from Nashik to Mumbai on January 23, 2021, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, said the All India Kisan Sabha’s (AIKS) Maharashtra unit.
According to a press release, the march will begin at noon from the Golf Club Maidan in Nashik with hundreds of tempos, pick-ups and other vehicles. The event will support and expand the historic two-month-long farmers’ struggle in Delhi for the repeal of the three farm laws – the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance & Farm Services Act, the Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act – and a central law to guarantee and procure a remunerative Minimum Support Price (MSP) all over India.
Other demands of the rally are a withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020, repeal of the four Labour Codes, vesting of all forest lands, temple lands, pasture lands, in the names of tillers, resumption of the implementation of the Mahatma Phule Loan Waiver scheme for farmers that was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“After leaving Nashik, the vehicle march will halt for the night at Ghatandevi January 23 night. At 9 AM on January 24, 20,000 peasants will march down the Kasara ghat and resume their vehicle march to Mumbai,” said AIKS President Ashok Dhawale.
Later, in response to the Sanyukta Shetkari Kamgar Morcha’s (SSKM) – a coalition of over 100 organisations in the state – call for a massive joint sit-in or Mahapadav at Azad Maidan in Mumbai from January 24 to 26, the jatha will merge with the group on Sunday afternoon.
Then on January 25, AIKS National General Secretary Hannan Mollah, top leaders of all three parties in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi and leaders of the Left and democratic parties will address a massive public meeting at 11 AM. The rally will march to Raj Bhawan to submit a memorandum to the Governor At 2 PM.
On Republic Day peasants and workers will hoist the national flag at Azad Maidan while singing the national anthem and pledge to make the farmers’ struggle victorious.
Along with the AIKS, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the All India Agricultural Workers’ Union (AIAWU), the All India Democractic Women’s Association (AIDWA), the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) will mobilise workers, agricultural labourers, women, youth and students from the state for the Saturday march as well.
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144 peasants died during farmers’ struggle since November 24, 2020