Most of the demands of the farmers have been accepted by the state government.
Veteran BJP leader and former Union Finance minister Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday evening called off his three day agitation after the Maharashtra government’s assurance to address issues faced by farmers from the Vidarbha region. Sinha, who was detained and released by Akola police on Monday, was camping at the police ground along with farmers to protest against the state government’s apathy towards farmers. He had threatened to go on hunger strike but the state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis this morning spoke to Sinha over phone and appealed him to withdraw his stir.
Fadnavis assured Sinha that the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) will buy all agriculture produce from farmers and there won’t be any restriction. Further, farmers, who have already sold their agriculture produce below the Minimum Support Price (MSP), will be paid the difference.
The concerned department authorities will conduct panchnama on the fields for the crop damaged due to pests and the action will be taken against the bogus BT seed companies.
The Akola district collector Astik Kumar Pandey on behalf of the Chief Minister held further negotiations with Sinha and agitating farmers. Sinha was subsequently joined by Trinamool Congress MP Dinesh Trivedi, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Ravi Tupkar, Aam Aadmi Party leader Preeti Sharma Menon and representatives of Shetkari Jagar Manch.
(Dinesh Trivedi addressing the crowd)
Menon told DNA,’’ It is quite revolutionary that for the first time the government has agreed to reimburse difference between the MSP and the agriculture produce sold below the MSP. Besides, NAFED will not impose any limit for the purchase of agriculture produce from farmers who now will be entitled to sell whatever they want. The agreement reached between the government and Sinha will be signed by the district collector and Shetkari Jagar Manch and forwarded for further action.’’
Sinha, who has been quite vocal against the demonetization and Goods and Services Tax, had led a scathing attack against the government for its neglect towards farmers. The state BJP unit had downplayed Sinha’s agitation terming it as a desperate attempt to remain in limelight. However, Sinha’s agitation received support from farmers in almost all districts from the Vidarbha region who staged rasta roko and protest march.
Besides, he got support from various prominent politicians including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, former union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra’s former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and Ashok Chavan, former minister Arun Shourie, BJP MPs Shatrughna Sinhah and Varun Gandhi, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana MP Raju Shetti and Bharatiya Republican Party leader Prakash Ambedkar
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 "Yashwant Sinha")
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(Dinesh Trivedi addressing the crowd)
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