The Long March from Nashik to Mumbai not only presented a snapshot of the crisis that engulfs the agriculture sector but also proved yet again the futility of farm loan waiver
ON MARCH 6, WHEN SOME 15,000 FARMERS STARTED out from Nashik, the news was buried in the inside pages of newspapers. As they reached Mumbai and the numbers swelled to 40,000, they managed to capture the attention of big media and the masses alike. The next day saw an outpouring of support from Mumbai’s people and the Opposition. There were stories of how the people of the city came out in huge numbers to offer food and water to those who grow our cereals. Pictures, on the other hand, showed the physical rigour the farmers underwent while covering the 180-km distance on foot.
The show of strength the nation witnessed in Mumbai was only the latest in a swirl of agrarian protests that has been erupting in various parts of the country. In fact, the Long March was the second protest witnessed by Maharashtra in a year. Last year saw nine districts in Madhya Pradesh on the boil after five farmers were killed in police firing during a protest in Mandsaur. In Rajasthan, too, a 13-day protest was called off when the government agreed to waive debts up to ₹50,000.
This story is from the March 2018 edition of Hardnews.
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This story is from the March 2018 edition of Hardnews.
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