Govt aims to esclate protest: Raju Shetti

Mumbai: With a discussion between the state government and agitating farmers nowhere in sight, the protest over milk procurement prices is set to intensify Thursday.

Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) chief and Lok Sabha MP Raju Shetti on Wednesday warned of a “raasta roko” agitation with cattle farmers across the state to push for his demand of a Rs 5 hike in milk procurement rates. Shetti is currently camping in Palghar district to prevent milk supply from Gujarat reaching Mumbai. Sources said that there was a dip of up to 45 per cent in milk procurement in some districts and up to 60 per cent in others on Wednesday.

Slamming the government’s adamant stand on deliberations with all stakeholders in the milk protest, Shetti said that his party workers were now ready for a showdown.

“Parents of our workers are being threatened by police officers. Seven thousand workers have been arrested. It seems that the government does not want to solve the issue but is aiming to escalate it,” he alleged.

Farmers would take to the streets on Thursday along with their cattle, he said. “Now it seems that raasta roko is the only option left,” he asserted.  

On Wednesday, parts of western and northern Maharashtra witnessed a heavy dip in milk collection, with Sangli down by 45 per cent, Solapur around 40 per cent, Ahmednagar almost 60 per cent, and Nashik around 50 per cent. Milk collection in Pune, too, was down by 50 per cent while that in Kolhapur by 45 per cent.

Meanwhile, the state government is banking on milk supply from Guajrat.  There was scuffle between Shetti's workers and the police at Dahanu station Wednesday when protesters tried to stop the Ahmedabad-Mumbai train. The train resumed its journey to Mumbai only after the police forced the workers off the tracks.