An unprecedented unity was on display across the state when farmers in Maharashtra took to the streets on the second day of their indefinite strike. Over 250 Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC) of the total 314 in the state remained shut, and the very few APMCs that opened for a while had hardly 5 per cent inflow of agriculture produce.
The impact of this strike was evident on the second day when retail prices of vegetables increased by four to five times in Mumbai. Over 450 trucks bring fresh vegetables every day to Mumbai from Nasik and Pune districts, but only 42 trucks and 79 tempos reached the state capital on Thursday. All dairy farms from the state bring 28 lakh litres of milk every day to Mumbai. The city was left with a stock of only 36 lakh litres on the second day, and it is just enough for residents to consume for a single day. Only 15 tankers of milk could reach Mumbai on the first day of the strike and no tanker is expected to reach Mumbai on subsequent days.
“Farmers from Satara, Kolhapur, Solapur, Nasik, Pune, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar stopped every truck of vegetables and milk tankers going to Mumbai,” said Raghunath Patil, President, Shetkari Sanghatana. “The angry farmers poured all the milk on the streets, and now, even dairy owners have said that they will stop collection and distribution of milk.”
Farmers protesting in Yeola, Manmad and Niphad in Nasik threw vegetables, tomatoes and onions on the street. These farmers had heated arguments with the police as traffic was blocked on the national highways. Police had to resort to lathi charge and firing in which a farmer in Yeola was severely injured.
Similar protests happened in Ahmednagar and Aurangabad. “Police force resorted to indiscriminate lathi charge. Farmers going on such a strike is historic. It is like your mother going on strike but the ruling party has not realised the gravity of the situation,” said Suhas Sardeshmukh, a senior journalist from Aurangabad.
Bapu Zori, a farmer and an activist from Osmanabad said, “Farmers from Osmanabad, Latur, Beed and Solapur districts participated fully in the complete shutdown of APMCs, dairies and weekly markets. Not a grain or drop of milk was taken to the markets.” He added that farmers from Osmanabad have been suffering for the last year as the crop insurances of rabi and kharif crops worth Rs 560 crore have not been handed over to them.
“The money was disbursed long ago, but the authorities have kept it in fixed deposits with private banks and earning interests on it,” Bapu Zori said. He said that the farmers are extremely determined for an indefinite strike especially after the insensitive comments from BJP leaders that the strike will be of no effect and only farmers will have to suffer.
The intensity of the strike is increasing every day, and farmers are determined that the strike will not be softened until all the demands are met. The government, on the other hand, is blaming Congress and NCP for misleading farmers.
