Nagpur tractor rally: Farmers block Nagpur-Hyderabad Highway, seek farm loan waiver | Watch video
The Nagpur tractor march began on Monday in Chandurbazar, Amravati district, halted in Wardha, and reached Nagpur on Tuesday evening.
Farmers and Prahar Janshakti Party (PJP) workers, led by former Maharashtra Minister Bachchu Kadu, blocked the Nagpur-Hyderabad Highway on Tuesday, 28 October, during a protest demanding a complete loan waiver for the farmers in the state.
At the tractor rally in Nagpur, Kadu demanded that the Maharashtra government provide immediate and unconditional loan waivers to the debt-ridden farmers.
The protesters alleged that despite repeated assurances, the government failed to provide adequate relief to the drought-stricken farming community.
Thousands of people, including farmers and PJP workers led by Kadu, reached Nagpur in a tractor rally from the adjoining Amravati district to stage ‘Maha Elgar’ morcha, demanding a complete farm loan waiver and highlighting other issues.
They gathered at a ground near Nagpur-Wardha Road, a day after Kadu, along with his supporters and members of farmer outfits, set out on tractors from Amravati as part of the agitation.
The former MLA said that for the last eight months, his party has been demanding a farm loan waiver, fair prices for crops and welfare measures for ‘divyangs’ (persons with disabilities) and fishermen.
He told the reporters at the agitation site that the agitation would continue until the government addressed their demands.
“There was a demand for debt relief. They said to give ₹6,000 for soybean and a 20% bonus for every crop. The Bhavantar Yojana is currently in place in Madhya Pradesh. There's nothing here,” Kadu told ANI.
“Not a single crop in Maharashtra is receiving its full price, and the Chief Minister doesn't have time to meet the farmers. The demand for debt relief will remain. Currently, there are approximately1-1.5 lakh farmers. Another one lakh will come tomorrow,” he added.
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Kadu has refused to call off the stir, asserting that the mere promise of talks is not enough and that the protesters will not leave Nagpur until the government takes a firm decision on the demands.
The tractor march began Monday from Chandurbazar in Amravati district and halted at Wardha before arriving in Nagpur on Tuesday evening.
(With agency inputs)