Maharashtra farmers' foot march: The farmers' protest came to an end on Saturday with the government accepting all their demands. The farmers said that the movement was successful. The government is implementing its promises at the ground level, said the farmers union.
The farmers union said that all farmers can now head back to their respective villages since the march has ended. By this evening, all the agitating farmers will vacate the Vashind Idgah ground of Thane district and leave for their villages.
Earlier in the day, a 58-year-old man, who was a participant in the ongoing farmers' foot march in Maharashtra, died on Saturday. According to an official, the deceased has been identified as Pundalik Ambo Jadhav, who was a resident of a village near Dindori in Nashik.
The official further said that Jadhav was taken to a hospital in Shahpur on Friday afternoon after he complained of uneasiness. After he felt better, Jadhav returned to the place where the protesters were camping, the official added.
Why farmers are protesting?
It should be mentioned here that thousands of farmers are marching towards Mumbai to draw the government's attention towards their various demands including the fall in prices of onions, soyabean, cotton, arhar and also regarding an immediate relief from damage to crops caused due to unseasonal rains.
A large group of at least 10,000 farmers and tribals are marching towards Mumbai from Maharashtra's Nashik district. In support of their demands, it has reached Thane district's Vasind town, around 80km from Mumbai. Their demands include Rs 600 per quintal relief to onion farmers, 12-hour uninterrupted power supply to farmers and waiver of farm loans. Further, the protesters are also demanding the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for state government employees who joined the service after 2005.
