Mango, Cashew Crop Loss Protest Disrupts Mumbai–Goa Highway

Mumbai: Traffic on the Mumbai-Goa Highway was severely disrupted on Monday due to a ‘Rasta Roko’ protest by mango and cashew growers led by farmers leader Raju Shetti and former Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Vaibhav Naik.

Demonstrators demanded immediate government compensation for heavy losses incurred by mango and cashew growers due to unseasonal weather disruptions. The agitation caused long queues of vehicles and significant delays for commuters traveling between Mumbai and the Konkan region.

Thousands of farmers, led by Swabhimani Sanghatana chief Raju Shetti held a rasta roko opposite a petrol pump in Nandgaon. Meanwhile, some unknown protestors staged demonstrations by burning tyres on the highway near the Pavshi-Ghavnale junction, close to Kudal.

The farmers raised slogans that compensation for the mango and cashew growers be granted without fail. A heavy police force was deployed along the highway to prevent any untoward incidents.

Shetti later announced that the agitation has been temporarily suspended for couple of days after being given a written assurance by the Sindhudurg District Administration stating that compensation for farmers’ losses would be announced in the State Legislature within the next two days, prior to the conclusion of the ongoing session.

Speaking on the occasion, Shetti stated, “We will temporarily suspend this agitation for two days. If no decision is reached during the Legislative session, we will convene a meeting of all farmers once again to decide on the future course of action. In that event, we will stage our protest at ‘Varsha’ (the official residence of the Chief Minister) in Mumbai."

Shetti also warned that this agitation would see the participation of farmers from Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts, as well as from Thane, Raigad and Western Maharashtra.

The agitation came after farmers from the Sindhudurg district, on March 12, had organized a protest march to the District Collector’s office to demand that compensation be announced for those affected. They had also issued a warning that if their demands were not met within 10 days, they would stage a road blockade on the highway.

According to farmers, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had given an assurance that satisfactory compensation would be provided to the farmers and an official announcement regarding this would be made before the conclusion of the ongoing Budget Session of the legislature. However, as the government failed to take a concrete decision on the matter, the farmers decided to take to the streets and block the Mumbai-Goa Highway.