After Palghar Victory, a March of 40,000 CPI M- AIKS Members Begins in Nashik

Nashik: Following the success of the 50,000 - person CPI M - led march in Palghar on 21 January, a march of 40,000 CPI M and All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) members began in Nashik on Saturday morning.

The march is being led by CPI M Polit Bureau member and AIKS National President Dr. Ashok Dhawale, former CPI M Central Committee member and ex -AIKS State President J P Gavit, ex-MLA and CPI M Central Committee member Dr. Ajit Nawale, CPI M State Secretariat member and CITU National Vice President Dr. D L Karad, Nashik District Secretary Indrajit Gavit, and CPI M State Committee member and AIKS State President Umesh Deshmukh, among others.

Participants are pressing two main sets of demands. The first relates to unfulfilled assurances on the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and PESA, pending irrigation projects, and the filling of thousands of vacancies in Zilla Parishad schools. The second challenges the pro-corporate policies of the BJP -led central and state governments, including the smart meter scheme, weakening of MNREGA and rural employment guarantees, government-corporate land acquisitions, and implementation of the four Labour Codes.