Thane: Tribals stage protest at Dy CM Eknath Shinde’s home against demolitions

Several tribals from areas falling within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park staged a protest outside the residence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Thane city against the demolition of their hamlets reported news agency PTIThe protesters claimed they had been living in the area for generations and criticised the administration for demolishing their dwellings on Monday The agitation was held outside Shindersquos residence late at night reported PTIVivek Pandit chairperson of the state tribal development committee told reporters that no demolition should be carried out until the 2018 rehabilitation plan is implemented and the affected families are properly resettled reported PTIThe protest was later called off after authorities assured the tribals of a discussion on the rehabilitation plan an officebearer of the social organisation that led the agitation saidFarmers launch foot march from Nashik to Mumbai to press for their demandsMeanwhile thousands of farmers and labourers launched a foot march to Mumbai from Nashik on Sunday to press for their various demands including land rights irrigation facilities and uninterrupted power supply reported PTILed by the Communist Party of India Marxist and Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha the protesters carrying red flags accused the government of not keeping its promises and threatened to gherao Mantralaya the state secretariat in Mumbai if their issues are not resolved reported PTICPIM Polit Bureau member and All India Kisan Sabha national president Ashok Dhawle and CITU national vice president DL Karad are among those taking part in march reported PTIImplementation of the Forest Rights Act land rights under PESA Provisions of the Panchayats Extension to the Scheduled Areas Act execution of irrigation schemes minimum support price for soybean and maize are among their issuesEarlier a similar long march was undertaken in Palghar district and it ended after the administration agreed to many of their demands said Kisan Sabha national joint secretary Ajit Navale After the Thane and Palghar we have now embarked on a long march to Mumbai about 200 km away from Nashik he said reported PTINavale said farmers had launched similar protests in 2015 and 2019 when Devendra Fadnavis was the chief minister and in 2023 during the tenure of the then CM Eknath Shinde The government gives assurances during such agitations but does not fulfil them he alleged reported PTIFormer MLA J P Gavit said the agitators are ready with ration and determined to reach Mumbai reported PTIWe will gherao Mantralaya and will not budge till our demands are met he said adding that more farmers will join them on their wayDue to the march traffic in several parts of Nashik came to a standstill for a long timeWith inputs from PTI