- Home
- न्यूजग्राम
- NewsGram USA
- India
- World
- Politics
- Entertainment
- Culture
- Lifestyle
- Economy
- Sports
- Sp. Coverage
- Misc.
- NewsGram Exclusive
- Jobs / Internships
Key Points
The AIKS-led long march of farmers and Adivasis from Nashik to Mumbai, which began on 25 January 2026, is likely to be withdrawn on 28 January 2026 after protestors entered Thane.
This followed a meeting between a delegation of protestors and the Maharashtra government, where assurances were given on PESA recruitment, local water retention through check dams, land issues, electricity supply, and education and worker welfare measures.
The State has agreed to re-examine all Forest Rights Act claims within three months, extend government schemes to forest landholders through crop surveys, and promised continuous follow-up at the ministerial level.
More than 50,000 Adivasis and farmers in Maharashtra began a ‘long march’ from Nashik to Mumbai on 25 January 2026, led by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS). They are demanding implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), as well as repeal of the new VB–G RAM G bill enacted in place of MGNREGA, among other points. On 27 January 2026, the march was halted in Thane district after the State Government agreed to meet a delegation of protesters to discuss their demands.
The delegation of AIKS and CPI(M) leaders met with government officials and ministers at the State Secretariat in Mumbai on 27 January 2026, as well as with CM Devendra Fadnavis at his residence. After successful talks, the march was placed in abeyance. A decision on the status of the demonstration will be announced after officials communicate their assurances directly to protesters waiting at Khardi, Thane, on 28 January 2026.
The ‘long march’ undertaken from Nashik closely follows another undertaken by Adivasis, farmers, fisherfolk and residents of Palghar, Maharashtra, on 19 January 2026. The 30,000-strong march, which culminated on 22 January 2026, was primarily in opposition to the proposed Vadhvan port project, which protestors said would have adverse environmental and livelihood impacts.
The march consolidates several adjacent and long-standing local issues, mainly concerning land rights, developmental policies, and resource allocation. These issues formed the basis of the current march from Nashik to Mumbai.
According to AIKS, the main demands of the current march are:
Implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) to protect the right to land ownership and utilization of Adivasis.
Commencement of recruitment under the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) to provide employment.
Repeal of the new VB–G RAM G Bill and restoration of MGNREGA, ensuring employment for rural families.
Utilization of water flowing into the sea for local communities and drought-prone areas of Maharashtra.
Procurement of crops at fair prices, proper implementation of irrigation schemes, and assurance of e-crop surveys being carried out for forest landholders.
Withdrawal of smart meters and provision of electricity to farmers during the day.
Adequate remuneration for midday meal workers and proper functioning of schools, including ensuring timely repairs and recruitments.
Ensuring the proposed Nashik-Pune high-speed railway line does not cause problems for residents of Akole, a village the line passes through.
“The march raised the issues related to neglecting the numerous assurances around the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and PESA, irrigation schemes, filling of thousands of vacancies in Zilla Parishad schools, etc.” read a joint statement by AIKS and CPI(M), organizers of the protest.
“And the second set of issues is centred around pro-corporate policies of the BJP-led Central and State Governments, like the smart meter scheme, undermining of MNREGA and rural employment, land grab by the government-corporate nexus, the imposition of four Labour Codes, etc.” the statement continued.
After the march commenced on 25 January 2026, AIKS National President Dr. Ashok Dhawale, gave an address, explaining the reasons for the significance behind the demonstration. That day, the government sent representatives to engage with protestors, but any chance of a meeting was dismissed. “The march would continue till Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hold a meeting with them and conceded the demands,” Dhawale had said.
A day later, protesters celebrated India’s 77th Republic Day on the highway – raising tricolor flags, paying tribute to the National Anthem, and remembering Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s contribution in framing the Constitution.
On 27 January 2026, as demonstrators entered Thane district, the Maharashtra government finally agreed to meet a delegation of protestors in Mumbai, following which the march was placed in abeyance.
The meeting, held at the State Secretariat in Mumbai, saw a 15-team delegation of the Kisan Sabha, led by Ashok Dhawale and Ajit Nawale, interacting with Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan, Tribal Development Minister Ashok Uike, School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, and Forest Minister Ganesh Naik, along with other officials.
According to Dhawale, the discussions were “successful,” and the government assured a district-wise review of all land claims under the FRA. He said the discrepancy between land granted on paper and land under actual cultivation had caused injustice to thousands of farmers due to incorrect opinions from the Forest Department. To address this, the State will re-examine all FRA claims in each district. Committees chaired by Sub-Divisional Officers will be appointed to examine each case, and the entire exercise is to be completed within three months. An implementation committee including ministers has also been constituted to expedite the process.
The government announced that crop inspection would be conducted on forest lands and that all government schemes would be extended to forest landholders. E-Crop surveys will be carried out to ensure forest land cultivators can access scheme benefits. The Kisan Sabha also pressed for fair procurement of paddy and millets such as Varai, Nagli and Sawa, along with tribal crops, strawberries and Bal Hirda fruits. A demand was raised to extend the bonus given to paddy producers to forest landholders as well.
On water issues, the delegation highlighted that water from seven west-flowing rivers in tribal areas flows into the sea. It was decided to prepare a concrete action plan to construct check dams to retain this water locally and make it available to local communities and drought-prone areas of Maharashtra, including Marathwada. A detailed plan will be prepared at the Nashik District Collector level, and proposals submitted by the Kisan Sabha will be considered.
Regarding lands cultivated on temple trust (Devasthan) lands, the government said the process of drafting a law has been initiated, and a draft has been provided to the Kisan Sabha. A meeting of the AIKS delegation will be held within eight days under the chairmanship of the Revenue Minister to address shortcomings in the draft. The demand to regularise ‘Warkas’ lands in Thane and Palghar districts was also accepted.
The government agreed to implement court-ordered recruitment under PESA in tribal areas within the 50% limit. It was also decided to collect information on districts where farmers receive electricity at night for irrigation and take a decision to provide daytime electricity in those areas. On worker welfare, a decision was announced to address the remuneration of school midday meal workers. School Education Minister Dada Bhuse assured action on repairing school buildings, classrooms and recruiting teachers in rural, tribal and remote areas.
Afterwards, the delegation met with Chief Minister Fadnavis at his residence.
Fadnavis said the government aimed to find a “respectable solution” to the issues and that it would remain positive wherever tribals and farmers were concerned. He gave a personal assurance regarding implementation of accepted demands and promised continuous follow-up at the ministerial level.
Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Girish Mahajan and Nashik District Collector Ayush Prasad are to inform protesters in writing about the steps the government will take. The final decision on withdrawing the march will be taken after discussions with the protesters gathered en route.
[DS]
Suggested Reading:
