MAHA TO WAIVE FARM LOANS
STIR ENDS AFTER FADNAVIS PROMISE
The farmers’ agitation in Maharashtra fizzled out on Saturday morning, after talks with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis led to a split between the protesting groups.
The prices of fruits and vegetables, however, stayed high in Mumbai, as there was no improvement in supply.
Traders said the situation is likely to get better only by Monday.
On Saturday morning, the Kisan Kranti Morcha — the group steering the protests — called off their 48-hour agitation after the CM told them the government will waive loans of 31 lakh small and marginal farmers by October 31.
Fadnavis said a legal mechanism to ensure farmers are protected against falling prices of commodities will also be put in place.
But some farmers’ outfits said they were unhappy with the decision and will continue to protest. At some places, farmers burnt effigies of the leaders who called off the strike.
In Nashik and Ahmednagar, farmers continued blocking roads and highways to cut off supply of vegetables, fruits and milk to cities such as Mumbai and Pune. One such group, the All India Kisan Sabha, said it will intensify the movement and has called a conference of farmers’ organisations on June 8 at Nashik. But Fadnavis insisted the farmers’ outfits had called off the agitations and said the Opposition parties were putting pressure on the farmers to continue protesting.