CM Intervention Concludes Kisan March, Left Raises Protest Dust In Flying Colours

The Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPM), red, and left protest imagery dominated the Kisan March in Maharashtra. On Monday, on ground and on Twitter, state units of the party that recently faced defeat in Tripura assembly elections, lent support to farmers rallying from across Maharashtra. CPM registered its presence, standing out in colour, political tone and party flags.

According to reports, CPM-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha was spearheading the protest.

Putting his weight behind the agitation that culminated at Mumbai's Azad Maidan, Monday, Senior CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said in a tweet, "Now, if the farmers' demands are not conceded, they will shake up the state and the Centre; remove the government and install a government of their choice which will stand by the farmers' cause."

Yechury, who, according to this report  was offered a Rajya Sabha seat by the Congress, recently, had hinted at the protests having "a resonance and impact that goes beyond Maharashtra." He tweeted, "These protests are about lives and livelihood of farmers, which have a resonance and impact that goes beyond Maharashtra. When Rs 2.4 lakh crore of corporate bank loans can be written off (April 2014 to September 2017), why is there no money to help the farmers?"

While people on social media expressed concern and respect for the farmers, the cause and their tough walk to Mumbai, where nearly 30,000 farmers gathered to protest in Azad Maidan, the presence of red, communist flags and imagery saw some people supporting the farmers in the agitation take a divided stand. This included BJP leaders.

According to this report, BJP MP Poonam Mahajan said, “I respect these farmers but what has bothered me the most is that these farmers are holding communist flags”.

Mohini Mohan Mishra, national secretary, RSS-affiliated Bhartiya Kisan Sangh, said that the protests will “lead to nothing.” She said, “We have never been in favour of the loan waiver scheme. Sometimes it is a requirement, not a necessity. Markets are also affected because of this. Government has also decided that they will pay 1.5 times the cost of production in this season. Things don’t happen in a hurry.”

CPM took note of Mahajan's comments and reacted in a tweet.

The symbolic depiction of the foot, clearly, a representation of the rally covered barefoot by farmers, tough, tiring and painful, dominated social media.

The foot found representation. This time, outside the political circles.

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said he was extremely positive in approaching issue and demands from farmers in protest participating in the ongoing Kisan Rally. He said, "Minister Girish Mahajan was in touch from day one even before they started. But they were firm on taking out the march. We have invited them for discussion at 12.30p.m."

A meeting between a 12 member farmers delegation and a committee of ministers, in Mumbai, helped ease the situation. The government has said that it would transfer forest land to farmers.  Following this announcement, some hailed the development as Left's victory.

Shiv Sena, said that it would show its support to the agitation and the protesting farmers, "regardless of their red flags". According to the same report, the Sena said, "Mill workers and farmers were ready to spill their blood for the Maharashtra movement (held in the 1960s for creation of a separate Marathi-speaking state). Today, they are despondent and committing suicide."

While respect for farmers -- the hands that feed us, is firm and intact across the Indian political spectrum, it is clear that left is and will remain the leader in the art of protest and political imagery.