After braving heat, blisters during march VICTORIOUS FARMERS MOVE OUT OF MUMBAI

With hopes in their eyes and written assurance from the Maharashtra government to meet their demands, thousands of farmers, who had gathered here from all over the state, have gone back to their native places.

Under the banner of the Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha (AIKS) of the CPI(M), over 35,000 farmers trekked 180km from Nashik to here over six days under the blazing sun, some even barefooted, with a slew of demands which included their right to till forest land and a complete loan waiver.

The farmers called off their agitation yesterday after the BJP-led government announced it has accepted

“almost all” of their demands in writing and assured to implement them in a time-bound manner.

The protesters, mostly farmers and tribals, had taken their agitation to Mumbai where they gathered in the Azad Maidan on Monday.

They hailed from Nashik, Ahmednagar district, Thane, Raigad districts and other parts of the state. The agitators left for home by various modes of transport, a senior police official said, adding two trains were arranged by the government to ferry them back.