Gram sabhas mull strike call

In a bid to pressurise the government to waive the farmer loans, hundreds of gram sabhas (villagers’ meeting) were held in various villages in every district of Maharashtra to discuss the strike call given by farmers.

Several resolutions were passed and the copies would be sent to the government urging Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to waive farmers’ loans, make land ownership card clear and give fair prices for the produce to protect the rights of the farmers.

Demanding waiver of all loans and remunerative prices for their produce among other demands, farmers from 120 villages in Nashik district had called for an agriculture strike.

However, many farmers and agriculture experts have expressed skepticism about such move.

“A strike by some farmers in some village is not going to make any difference, except to themselves. If farmers from the entire state or country decide to participate, then it will make a difference,” stated NAFED chairman, Nanasaheb Patil.

“It is a tragedy that farmers can kill themselves but can’t strike because their entire family is dependent on the farm. Instead, the government should analyse the reasons as to why the farmers are forced to announce this step, what is their pain,” said Niphad farmer Ashokrao Kapse.

Holkar said that, gram sabhas were held at Lasalgaon and other villages in Niphad tehsil. “Resolutions were passed and would be sent to the government,” he said.