MVA Stages Road Blockade In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Demands Unconditional Farm Loan Waiver
· Free Press Journal
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Leaders and workers of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) staged a 'Rasta Roko' protest at Cambridge Chowk in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Monday, demanding a complete and unconditional farm loan waiver. The agitation, led by Rohit Pawar, continued for around two-and-a-half hours despite heavy rain and disrupted traffic on Jalna Road.
Protesters raised slogans in support of farmers and carried banners and placards demanding immediate relief. The blockade led to long traffic jams on all four sides of Cambridge Chowk.
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The protest was withdrawn after Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan reached the spot and held discussions with the MVA leaders.
Several senior leaders of the opposition alliance participated in the agitation, including Supriya Sule, Shashikant Shinde, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Fauzia Khan, Nilesh Lanke, Amar Kale, Bajrang Sonawane, Sandeep Kshirsagar, Narendra Kale, Harshwardhan Sapkal, Kalyan Kale, Balasaheb Thorat and other MVA leaders.
Addressing the gathering, Rohit Pawar alleged that the state government had failed to honour the assurance given to farmers during the Pandharpur hunger strike. He warned that if the government again failed to fulfil its promises, farmers would intensify their agitation.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Holds Tractor Rally In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Demanding Full Farm Loan WaiverSupriya Sule said the MVA would organise a march to the state legislature if the government did not announce a complete farm loan waiver. She also criticised recent attacks on religious places, including Ujjain and Ayodhya.
Harshwardhan Sapkal accused both the state and Central governments of failing to keep their promises and said farmers would now have to continue their struggle through protests on the streets.
Following the protest, police detained several leaders, including Supriya Sule, Harshwardhan Sapkal, Kalyan Kale, Shashikant Shinde, Anil Deshmukh and Rajesh Tope, before later taking them into custody.