The onion framers protest against the new system of bringing onion to the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMC), turned violent at Mungase, near Malegaon, when they started pelting stones. An additional superintendent of police, a police inspector and three other policemen were injured in the protest. In response, police lathi charged the crowds.
According to the new directives of the government, the farmers are now to bring onions to the APMCs in gunny bags in packs of 25kg, 50kg or 80kg. On Thursday, farmers in APMCs in Nashik, Lasalgon, Manmad, Umrane, Mungase and other places staged protests against this new system.
“The new system is not only costlier but it is also time consuming. Also with the new system, the tax on sale to traders (called as adat) has been increased from 4% to 6%, “ said Ranjit Gunjal, an onion farmer who had brought his onion for sale at Lasalgaon APMC. The sentiment was same at Mungase, 12km off Malegaon, where farmers staged a rasta roko on Mumbai Agra highway. A police force from Chavani police station rushed to the spot, along with the additional SP Chaugule and SDO Ajay More
Talking to DNA about the incident, SDO Ajay More said, “We tried to pacify the agitating farmers. Some farmers raised the issue of the low price of Rs170 per quintal. We talked to the traders, who agreed to give a minimum rate of Rs400. But some farmers wanted Rs500 and they started pelting stones. In this ruckus, additional SP Chaugule and four other policemen sustained injuries.” Around 20 people were arrested for stone pelting.
