Pune: Demanding loan waiver for farmers in the state, transgender community in Pune went on a one-day hunger strike at Council Hall in Pune on Tuesday. Shetakari Swabhimani Sanghatana chief Raju Shetti backed the hunger strike, demanding loan waiver for farmers in the state. Over 50 transgender from Pune protested at the Council Hall.
Chandani Gore, a transgender from said, “Farmers, who feed us, have been committing suicide as they are unable to pay loans and the government is not doing anything about the issue. We want the government to waive off farm loans across the state as soon as possible. If the government does not grant loan waiver till June 2, we will not allow chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to enter Pune. We will beg and collect money. We will give the money to the chief minister so that he could waive off loans of at least one or two farmers. It is unfortunate that CM has to take help from transgenders. The state must also announce a common minimum price for agriculture products.”
Meanwhile, over 100 workers of Swabhimani Shetakari Sanghatana also protested at Council Hall in Pune, demanding loan waiver for farmers. Mr Shetti said, “People across the society are coming forward, demanding farm loan waiver. We are happy that even transgenders have come forward to back our demand.”
He added, “But the government is not ready to wake up. The state government must declare common minimum price for agriculture products as recommended by Swaminathan Commission. Farmers have been facing problems as the production has been affected by natural calamities.”
