Farmers oppose Shaktipeeth Expressway in Marathwada, burn copies of govt documents announcing project
A group of farmers from Hayatnagar on Wednesday led a protest by burning copies of govt documents announcing the project.
A farmer opposing the project, Ketan Sarang, said farmers would prefer to die than offer their fertile land for the project. "Many unemployed youths are returning to agriculture to earn a livelihood. While on one hand, govt has failed to offer jobs to youth, on the other hand, it is snatching the other option of farming also," he said.
The Shaktipeeth Expressway is set to connect Hingoli's Aundha Nagnath Temple, a sacred Nageshwar Jyotirlinga site. However, farmers in Beed district, led by the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) of India, have strongly opposed the project, citing concerns over land acquisition and compensation.
A group of farmers and PWP members on Tuesday afternoon opposed the visit of govt officials at Saygaon from Ambejogai taluka of Beed district.
The govt team arrived in the village to carry out the land survey for the expressway. Local PWP members accused the district administration of using police force to suppress the protest by farmers.
The Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway is scheduled to pass through 12 districts of Maharashtra, of which six are in Marathwada. The places of religious importance and other destinations from Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Latur and Dharashiv districts in Marathwada will be connected through the expressway.
The state cabinet on Tuesday cleared the proposal for the Shaktipeeth Expressway. CM Devendra Fadnavis could not be reached for his comments on the latest protests in Hingoli and Beed.
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