Gadchiroli Nov. 27 (District Correspondent) The district unit of Maharashtra State Kisan Sabha District staged a protest agitation in front of the District Collector’s Office here on Tuesday to press the various demands of farmers, agricultural labourers and workers.
Before the protest, the preamble of the Constitution was read out to mark the ‘Sanvidhan Diwas’. The slogans were shouted in support of the demands and then a memorandum was submitted to the District Collector that was addressed to the President, Prime Minister of India and the Governor and Chief Minister of Maharashtra State.
The main demands included farmers’ agricultural produce should be given a guaranteed price of two and a half times the cost of production, four labour laws should be abolished, privatization should be stopped, contract system should be stopped, farmers’ loans should be waived, public sector industries should not be privatized, employment guarantee work should be given for two hundred days and Rs. 600 should be given per day.
The demands also included that forest land leases should be given to the encroachers, farmers, agricultural labourers, workers should be given pension of Rs. 10,000 per month after the age of 60 years, the benefit of the crop insurance scheme should be given to the actual farmers. In the last four years, private companies have earned Rs. 200 crores in the name of crop insurance, but the affected farmers have not received compensation for their crop loss, it was pointed out.
The protest was led by Dr. Mahesh Kopulwar, State President Maharashtra State Kisan Sabha, Mr. Devrao Chawle, District Secretary Kisan Sabha, Adv. Jagdish Meshram, Sachin Motkurwar, Suraj Jakkulwar, Bramhadas Karate, Sanjay Wakade, Prakash Khobragade, Chunnilal Motghare, Kevalram Nagose, Haridas Nikhure, Suresh Fukate, Rohidas Fulzhele, Rishi Ramteke, Dhanraj Rohankar, Devrao Rohankar, Ambaji Narule were the main activists who participated in the agitation.
