MNS to organise farmers' demonstration in Maharashtra on Friday

Mumbai: The MNS would organise a demonstration of farmers in Thane city of Maharashtra on Friday to protest against their alleged exploitation by local politicians, party chief Raj Thackeray said.

The move comes after activists of the BJP and MNS last week clashed in the Thane city, neighbouring Mumbai, over the issue of mango stalls set up by hawkers on footpaths.

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Thackeray alleged that around 10 ten corporators of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), BJP's district president and other leaders were involved in threatening local farmers against selling their produce in the region.

The MNS is raising its voice against such injustice, he said in a statement on Thursday.

"The MNS has taken up an issue of a farmer who was stopped from selling his produce in Thane city. We noticed that local BJP corporators and leaders are exploiting farmers and causing financial losses to them. The rally is against such exploitation," he said.

The farmers' rally will commence from Gamdevi ground in Thane and culminate at the TMC headquarters.

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MNS Thane district president Avinash Jadhav said farmers from across the state were expected to participate in the demonstration.

Last week, hawkers associated with the MNS set up mango stalls on footpaths in Thane's Naupada locality which was opposed by BJP workers on the ground that they were blocking the movement of pedestrians, the police earlier said.

Personnel from the anti-encroachment department of the TMC arrived at the scene to remove the stalls, but faced stiff resistance from MNS activists.

The issue triggered a clash between local BJP and MNS workers, prompting the police to wield canes to disperse them.

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(PTI)