THE LEADERS

As farmers reached Mumbai after a six-day march from Nashik to protest for their demands and for a meeting with CM Devendra Fadnavis and other ministers, here’s a look at three key farmer leaders:

ASHOK DHAWALE

President, Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha (ABKS) Dhawale, who was recently elected to lead ABKS, the peasants’ body represented by undivided communist parties, is a staunch follower of social activist Godavari Parulekar. Dhawale has been an active social worker in Thane and Palghar districts since 1993 and has been fighting for various agricultural issues, including the implementation of the Forest Rights Act and the recommendations made by Swaminathan Commission. He has also opposed land acquisition for the Special Economic Zone in Raigad about a decade ago, and is now protesting the acquisition of land for the bullet train and MumbaiNagpur Expressway projects