Kisan Kranti Morcha calls for Maha bandh on June 5

Agitating farmers under the aegis of Kisan Kranti Morcha (KKM), on the second day of the strike, has called for a statewide bandh excluding Mumbai on June 5.

However, essential commodities have been excluded from the proposed bandh. The decision in this regard was taken at the KKM’s core committee meeting held on Friday at Puntamba in Ahmednagar district.

The core committee member Jayaji Suryavanshi told DNA that farmers will down shutters of all government offices across the state except Mumbai on June 6.

On June 7, farmers will not allow movement of BJP ministers, MPs and legislators in the state .

“The strike could have been avoided had the state government acted on our demands. Our appeal to citizens is to  extend their support to agitating farmers for a day,” he said.

Suryavanshi said the core committee has accepted the CM’s call for dialogue and will meet him on Friday night. However, there cannot be any compromise on demand for a total crop loan waiver. Farmers on Friday hit the roads in large numbers in various parts of the state to press for their demands.

Functioning of wholesale markets and agricultural produce marketing committee were severely impacted due to less supply of fruits and vegetables. Similarly, farmers did not contribute milk to the collection centres. Prices of vegetables have already witnessed a surge and vendors say if the strike continues, prices will increase further for want of sufficient supply.

Meanwhile, the anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has offered to hold talks on behalf of the agitating farmers with the BJP-led government in Maharashtra.

He has extended support to the farmers strike, which entered its second day on Friday, crippling the supply of milk, fruits and vegetables in cities across the state.

Hazare said the farmers have spontaneously launched the agitation due to lack of response from the state government.