Kadu, who has warned that the agitation will intensify if demands are ignored, said that farmers will block trains from noon on Wednesday. He claimed that nearly one lakh farmers, including many women, are participating in the protest.
Farmers’ Demands
The protesters allege that despite the state government’s pre-poll promises of farm loan waivers and crop bonuses, no actual relief has been delivered.
“The government promised a 20% bonus on every crop and ₹6,000 per quintal on soybeans, but not a single rupee has reached farmers. The Chief Minister doesn’t even have time to meet us,” Kadu said.
Farmers also highlighted that repeated droughts and hailstorms have destroyed crops across large parts of Maharashtra, but compensation remains delayed or insufficient.
“Farmers burdened by debt are dying by suicide. We will not leave until loans are completely waived,” Kadu asserted.
Opposition and Support
Ravikant Tupkar of the Swabhimani Paksha backed the protest, accusing the government of misplaced priorities.
“There’s money for metros and expressways, but not for farmers,” Tupkar said.
Location and Political Significance
The protest site — Jamtha flyover — holds symbolic importance as it lies at the entry point of the Samruddhi Expressway and falls within Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s home constituency. Farmers said staging the protest there was meant to ensure the government “hears their pain.”
Government Response and Relief Packages
Chief Minister Fadnavis has appealed for dialogue, emphasizing that his government has already rolled out substantial aid. Recently, the state announced a ₹31,628 crore relief package, including ₹10,000 direct cash assistance to farmers hit by rainfall losses — covering 68 lakh hectares across 29 districts.
In September, the government also disbursed ₹1,892.61 crore to 91 lakh farmers under the seventh installment of the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana.
However, protest leaders say these measures are inadequate. According to them, only a complete loan waiver can provide lasting relief to farmers struggling with mounting debt and repeated crop failures.
1.jpg)
