Tribal farmers march towards Nashik over pending forest rights and irrigation demands

Nashik: Tribal farmers from across the district have started marching towards the city demanding immediate resolution of long-standing grievances. The agitators have warned that if their meeting with the district collector fails to yield results, they will once again embark on a "long March" to Mumbai.The farmers began their journey along four primary routes — originating from Chandwad, Peth, Dindori, Surgana, Kalwan, and Trimbakeshwar — all converging in Nashik. Indrajeet Gavit, district secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist), which is organising the protest alongside All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), stated that the groups reached various staging points on Friday night. "We will resume our movement towards Nashik city on Saturday morning, aiming to reach Mhasrul by evening," Gavit said. The current unrest stems from the administration's alleged failure to fulfil promises made during "long March 1 and 2," both of which saw thousands of farmers walk to Mumbai in previous years. "We have met with authorities before, during, and after past marches. We have consistently coordinated with them, yet we find that the administration is taking our demands lightly," Gavit said. The farmers' primary demands include: Formally adding beneficiaries' names to land parcels sanctioned under the Forest Rights Act, providing irrigation facilities for these land parcels, extending tribal welfare scheme benefits to all eligible farmers, ensuring minimum support price (MSP) for all farm produce in tribal regions, securing benefits for local communities from river-linking projects. Gavit noted that while a delegation met with officials over the last several days, the response remained non-committal. "They continue to say they will hold meetings and reviews, but there has been no significant progress. That is why we are walking to Nashik. We will hold talks with the Collector on Saturday; if they fail, this agitation will be converted into a Long March to Mumbai," he warned. District administration sources indicated that many of the issues raised involve policy decisions that require action from the state and central governments rather than local authorities alone.