Kisan Long March: Over 30,000 farmers reach Mumbai's Azad Maidan; gherao Maharashtra Assembly

More than 30,000 farmers reached Mumbai's Azad Maidan at dawn today. Visuals of the march show that the roads leading up to the maidan were turned into red. The farmers are there to gherao the Maharashtra Assembly and to put forth their demands.

The farmers marched overnight to the maidan so as not to cause inconvenience to the students appearing for their exams today. They also had ample support from Mumbaikars, so, they decided to march at midnight to prevent any inconvenience to the city people.

"We do not want to put SSC students in any trouble. But we will reach Azad Maidan. Therefore, we have decided to start walking past midnight," Ashok Dhawale, President of AIKS or All India Kisan Sabha said, as tweeted by the committee's Twitter handle.

 

This is not an issue of Maharashtra farmers alone but of farmers all over India: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on All India Kisan Sabha protest in #Maharashtra (file pic) pic.twitter.com/wPcdqYSct0

- ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2018

According to reports, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's chief, Raj Thackeray extended his support to the farmers. Showing his support, Congress President Rahul Gandhi also said that this is not an issue of Maharashtra farmers alone but of farmers from all over India.

"We do not want to put SSC students in any trouble. But we will reach Azad Maidan. Therefore, we have decided to start walking past midnight," AIKS President Com. Ashok Dhawale. #KisanLongMarch

- AIKS (@KisanSabha) March 11, 2018

The farmers had walked from Nashik to Mumbai, a journey of 180 km. 

Farmers gathered at Mumbai's Azad Maidan. #FarmersMarchToMumbai pic.twitter.com/0hyuR14M7a

- AIKS (@KisanSabha) March 12, 2018

According to reports, the state government has appointed a six-member committee to look into their demands. Their demands include waiver of dues and loans and implementation of the Ms Swaminathan Committee report. The Swaminathan report contains five reports with recommendations for "faster and inclusive growth" of farmers as envisioned in the Planning Commission's Approach to the 11th Five Year Plan. The Swaminathan report recommends a range of reforms including of land and irrigation, credit and insurance reforms, productivity growth, a range of steps in order to achieve food security and very importantly, prevention of farmer suicides.