Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers hoist Tricolour at Azad Maidan

Thousands of cultivators, who had arrived here from parts of Maharashtra to protest against the Centre’s farm laws, left for their homes on Tuesday after an elderly woman agitator hoisted the Tricolour at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai. The flag hoisting was held at the ground in south Mumbai around 9.30 a.m. following which the protesters headed towards their native places, the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) said. The farmers held a rally at the Azad Maidan on Monday to express solidarity with the farmers agitating near Delhi borders against the Centre’s three new farm laws. NCP president Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, Peasants and Workers Party leader Jayant Patil and various farmers’ representatives attended the rally on Monday. Around 15,000 farmers arrived in the State capital for the rally, the Maharashtra unit of the AIKS earlier said. “The flag hoisting ceremony was held at the Azad Maidan on Tuesday morning. After that, the farmers headed towards their homes. The movement is in line with what we had decided earlier,” AIKS president Ashok Dhawale said over phone. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha had given a nationwide call for a struggle from January 23 to 26, including rallies to Raj Bhavans in States. Accordingly, the protesters in Mumbai took out a march towards the Raj Bhavan here after the public meeting at Azad Maidan on Monday. However, police stopped the protesters mid-way. ‘Missing’ Governor A delegation of farmers was to meet and submit a memorandum to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. But, after they learnt that the Governor was in Goa on Monday, the farmers’ leaders accused Mr. Koshyari of not meeting them despite giving an appointment himself. The leaders charged the Governor with “running away” to Goa and “insulting” the farmers by not being in Raj Bhavan to accept their memorandum, copies of which they later tore to condemn the Governor’s action. The Raj Bhavan on Monday dismissed the claims and said Mr. Koshyari, who is also the Governor of Goa, left for the neighbouring coastal State to address its Assembly, the five- day session of which began on Monday. The Raj Bhavan also said representatives of the Samyukt Shetkari Morcha were informed in advance that the Governor would not be able to meet the delegation as he would be in Goa.

The Hindu

2021-01-27

Mumbai