Kisan Mahapanchayats against farm laws to be held in Maharashtra from February 11

After February 11, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) will further intensify its agitation against the Centre’s farm laws. As a part of this strategy, Kisan Mahapanchayats of the farmers would also be held in Maharashtra, said President of AIKS and Central Committee Member of CPI(M), Ashok Dhawale.

In Maharashtra, the Kisan Mahapanchayats would be held in Thane, Palghar, Nashik, Ahmednagar and other districts. The meetings would not be held simultaneously but at different dates based on local farmer leaders decision.

Earlier on Friday, thousands of protesting farmers had gathered at Shamli district in Western Uttar Pradesh for a Kisan Mahapanchayat.

Dhawale told BusinessLine that they will pass a resolution opposing Modi Government’s the three anti-farmer laws at the large gatherings. They would seek new law for implementing the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for agriculture products. There is also a plan to intensify boycott products and services of Reliance Industries Ltd and Adani Group.

President of AIKS said that on February 11, a meeting would be held in Thane and Palghar district for further planning of the Kisan Mahapanchayats campaign. On February 15 another meeting in Nashik would be held where all senior members of AIKS and leaders of other organisations who are opposing the laws.

Kisan Mahapanchayats would not be the exclusive domain of AIKS, but it would be a meeting platform of different sections of the society who are opposing the farm laws. These meetings would be similar to the farmers’ protest meeting held on January 25 at Azad Maidan in Mumbai.

A resolution seeking the release of 112 farmers in various jails for protesting against the farm laws would also be placed and passed in the Kisan Mahapanchayats. Local issues of the farmers would also be taken up in such meetings, he said.

For a state such as Maharashtra, a new law for remunerative procurement of farm products is crucial. Today procurement based on MSP has no meaning in Maharashtra as the products are not purchased based on MSP formula, Dhawale alleged.