Opposition to hold Sangharsh Yatra for farmers’ loan waiver

Mumbai: Taking the battle for waiving off farmer loans to the streets, united opposition parties of Maharashtra will hold a “Sangharsh Yatra” from March 29 to April 5. The decision was taken in the meeting held in Mumbai on Thursday by opposition leaders and members of legislative parties of both houses.

After 19 of their MLAs were summarily dismissed on Wednesday by the assembly speaker, opposition parties decided to sharpen their attack on the government. Entire assembly proceedings have been boycotted since Wednesday. Opposition MLAs have also been holding “silent protests” on the stairs of Vidhan Bhavan. However, with government showing no sign of compromise on expulsion, opposition parties have decided to blow up the issue and stir the state into action.

Toward this, parties met on Thursday to decide the road ahead. Their MLAs and MLCs were aggressive and pressurised leadership to go for an all-out war against the BJP government. Finally, it was decided to hold a “Sangharsh Yatra” from March 29 to April 5 across the state and take the issue of waiver of farmer loans to each and every house.

NCP leader Sunil Tatkare said, “BJP is trying to bulldoze the people in Maharashtra. They are against the interest of farmers. Suspending MLAs fighting for waiver of farmer loans is in a way rejecting farmers’ rights. We will launch a state-wide agitation and expose this government.”

Meanwhile, opposition leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, NCP leader Jayant Patil, and Ajit Pawar wrote a letter to the assembly speaker demanding suspension. “If you are suspending MLAs who were fighting for farmers, apply the same yardstick to us because we too support their demand for farmer loan waiver,” read the letter.