Farmers Movement Archive

Mumbai: Activists head to Dandi ‘for farmers’

Mumbai: A group of activists left for Dandi in Gujarat on March 30 to participate in the ‘Mitti Satyagraha Yatra’ that commenced from Dandi on March 31. This yatra is in solidarity with groups of farmers protesting the new farm laws. The Mitti Satyagraha Yatra is a national collective effort of various citizens’ organisations that have coined the slogan ‘Ek mutthi de do mitti/Kisan mazdoor janshakti (Give a fist of soil/Farmers, workers are people’s power)’. Drawing inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi’s 390km march in 1930 to Dandi to break the colonial salt law, the activists on Wednesday visited Sabarmati Ashram, from where the walk began. Having collected “mitti” (soil) from Dandi, the activists will move to Punjab, Haryana and Delhi’s borders. “Activists are bringing mitti from different parts of the country and it will be used to build memorials at their agitation sites on Delhi borders for the farmers who died during the agitation,” said Feroze Mithiborewala, an activist. “Our yatra is committed to the demands of the farmers and our andolan will continue till the three farm laws are repealed. During the yatra, we explain the details of the bills as well as the MSP, to the farmers and the people that we meet,” said Dr Sunilam, another activist. Gandhi’s march which lasted 24 days ended on April 6, 1930, as he picked up a handful of salt from the seashore bordering Dandi. “Today, a fistful of soil symbolises the very same strength, the very same values of peaceful resistance to secure our rights,” he said.

The Times of India

2021-04-01

Mumbai