Shaktipeeth Expressway: Farmers Protest Near Minister's Event in Hingoli
The farmers stayed put on the road leading to the Hingoli Guardian Minister Narhari Zirwal's scheduled flag-hoisting ceremony, blocking the way of the minister's convoy
Hingoli: Hundreds of farmers, including women, staged a protest in Maharashtra's Hingoli town on Thursday, opposing the acquisition of their farmland for the proposed Shaktipeeth Expressway. The agitation site was adjacent to Martyrs Memorial Park, where Hingoli Guardian Minister Narhari Zirwal was scheduled to attend the flag-hoisting ceremony on the occasion of Marathwada Liberation Day.
The farmers stayed put on the road leading to the event venue, blocking the way of the minister's convoy. They also raised slogans, demanding to meet with Zirwal.
The situation also led to a minor confrontation between the agitators and cops after police personnel attempted to clear the road. Some protesters allegedly pushed away the barricades placed by the police.
According to the farmers, despite giving assurances, Zirwal had not arranged a meeting between them and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in connection with their concerns over the proposed highway.
The Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway is an 802 to 810-kilometre-long greenfield project costing around Rs 86,300 crore to Rs 1 lakh crore that has drawn protests from farmers over land acquisition.
Marathwada Liberation Day is celebrated annually on September 17 to mark the day in 1948 when the Marathwada region in central Maharashtra, which includes Hingoli district, was freed from the Hyderabad Nizam's rule and became part of independent India.