Maharashtra Governor has time to meet Kangana Ranaut but not farmers: NCP chief Pawar

As farmers gathered at Azad Maidan here, in support of farmers protesting on the borders of Delhi were stopped by Mumbai Police as they moved towards Raj Bhavan, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has the time to meet actor Kangana Ranaut but not farmers.

Addressing farmers from various districts of the state gathered at Azad Maidan in solidarity with farmers agitating against three agriculture laws at Delhi borders, Pawar said: "Braving cold weather, farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been agitating for the last 60 days. Has PM enquired about them? Do these farmers belong to Pakistan?"

"You are going to Raj Bhavan to meet the Governor. Maharashtra has never seen such a Governor before. He has the time to meet Kangana (Ranaut) but not the farmers. It was the moral responsibility of the Governor to come here and meet you," he added.

Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat also addressed the farmers at Azad Maidan and said, "Today's farmers' agitation is unprecedented, a tractor rally will be held in Delhi tomorrow. The agricultural laws of the central government are for capitalists, hoarders, profiteers. It must be repealed."

The farmers who were moving towards the governor's house were stopped by Mumbai police.Kishor, one of the protesting farmers told , "We will give memorandum to Governor today. Our families have also come with us because if we lose farming, the entire family will come on the road"

Meanwhile, a delegation comprising up of farmer leaders, prominent personalities and politicians will meet Governor Koshyari on behalf of farmers.

The delegation comprises --Ashok Dhawale, MH Shaikh, Narsayya Adam, Jayant Patil, SC Jadhav, Tukaram Bhasme, Namdev Gavde, Firoz Mithiborwala, Ulka Mahajan, Dhananjay Shinde, Prabhakar Narkar, Kishor Damle, Pratibha Shinde, Teesta Setalvad, Vidya Chavan, Abu Azmi, Arif Nasim Khan, Medha Patkar, Ajit Navle, Bhai Jagtap, Prakash Reddy, Nawab Malik and MA Patil.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a joint front of almost 40 farmer orgzations, has asked the farmers to take part in the agitation from January 23 to 26, including taking rallies to the Governors of states.

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

( With inputs from ANI )