The Congress has announced a protest march in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district on May 4, targeting what it described as “anti-farmer” policies of the ruling government.
Padyatra to be led by state chief Harshwardhan Sapkal
The march will be led by Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal and is expected to see participation from party leaders, workers and farmers. The party said the initiative aims to highlight agrarian distress and mobilise public support for farmers’ issues.
Congress alleges prolonged farmer distress
In its statement, the Congress claimed that farmers have faced increasing hardship over the past decade under the rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party at both the Centre and in Maharashtra.
The party alleged that farmers are not receiving fair prices for their produce and that rising inflation has further worsened the cost of cultivation. It also pointed out that Maharashtra continues to report one of the highest numbers of farmer suicides in the country, underscoring the severity of the crisis.
Key demands include loan waiver and MSP guarantee
The Congress has put forward a set of demands aimed at addressing farmers’ concerns. These include a complete loan waiver and clearing of pending land records. The party has also called for a legal guarantee of minimum support price for crops.
In addition, it has proposed fixed benchmark prices for key crops, including soybean and gram at Rs 8,000 per quintal, cotton at Rs 12,000 per quintal, and tur at Rs 10,000 per quintal.
Call for financial support and policy changes
The party has demanded that crop loans be provided without restrictive conditions and suggested financial assistance of Rs 40,000 per acre per season to support farmers. It has also urged the removal of Goods and Services Tax on agricultural inputs to reduce input costs.
Further demands include setting up processing industries for agricultural produce to improve value addition and income generation for farmers.
Broader demands on welfare and employment
Apart from agriculture-focused issues, the Congress has also sought the issuance of caste certificates to tribal communities and the filling of vacant teaching positions in local administrative bodies.
The upcoming protest march is expected to intensify political debate around agrarian policies in Maharashtra, with the Congress aiming to bring farmers’ concerns to the forefront ahead of future political developments.
