SSS MP Raju Shetti's 'Atmaklesh Yatra' enters Mumbai

Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghtana (SSS) leader Raju Shetti's 'Atmaklesh Yatra' (repentance march) entered Mumbai today as thousands of supporters joined him with demands for reforms in the agriculture sector.

Shetti had started his rally from Pune on May 22 and it reached Matunga today.

The rally will halt at Lalbaug tonight and march towards Rajbhavan tomorrow. The members will submit a memorandum of their demands to Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao.

"The march is being held to express our repentance for supporting the BJP in Lok Sabha and the assembly elections," Lok Sabha MP from Hatkanangle said.

"They won the elections but hardly did anything in return to support us in agricultural reforms.

"The recent debacle of tur procurement and the chaotic situation thereafter, the government's slow response when farmers were having sleepless nights and disappointing statements of BJP leaders are sufficient enough to understand that this government is not concerned about farmers' issues," Shetti said.

The SSS is a constituent of the NDA as well as a part of the BJP-led Maharashtra government.

In the last six months, Shetti's close aide Sadabhau Khot has distanced himself from the MP and his frequent criticism of the state and Union governments over farmers' issues.

Khot is currently a minister of state for agriculture and cooperation in the Maharashtra government.

Shetti said, "The Centre has not implemented the Swaminathan committee's recommendations which are meant for increasing farmers' income as the government fears that if it is increased then prices of foodgrains and vegetables will go up."

"This move may disappoint the middle class... Hence, the BJP is protecting the interests of urban middle class at the expense of the rural population," he alleged.

"I had joined hands with the BJP for the general and state elections as the party leaders had agreed to implement the recommendations of the of Swaminathan committee.

"The BJP-led NDA has completed three years in power at the Centre but there is no sign of implementation (of the recommendations) which will benefit the farmers," he said.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)