The sugarcane farmers protest led by Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana president Raju Shetti has received legal backing from the Karad Bar Association, which said it would defend protesters without charge if criminal cases are filed against them.
The association announced its support at a meeting in Karad, where members endorsed the farmers’ demand for a fair and remunerative price for sugarcane. The protest is being organised against the backdrop of a road blockade near the Kognoli toll plaza on the Pune-Bengaluru highway, where the organisation is seeking to draw the government’s attention to the pricing issue.
The Karad Bar Association said sugarcane growers form the backbone of the rural economy and that the sugar industry depends on their labour. It cited rising costs of production, wages, fertilisers, pesticides, transportation and other farm-related expenses as reasons why growers should receive an appropriate return for their crop.
The association said the demand for higher sugarcane prices was justified in view of the financial pressures faced by farmers. It urged the government to consider the protesters’ demands seriously and take a positive decision to ensure that sugarcane producers receive a fair price.
Association president Advocate Deepak Thorat said farmers are a foundation of the country’s economy and that their work should receive appropriate compensation. He said the association supported the agitation for a fair sugarcane price and would provide free legal representation if cases were registered against protesters.
The meeting was attended by vice-president Advocate Amol Kanse, secretary Advocate Mayur M. Mane, joint secretary Advocate Rajvardhan Patil, treasurer Advocate Rohit Mali and Advocate Vidya Mhoplekar. Representatives of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, including Karad North president Pramodsinh Jagdale, district vice-president Bapu Yadav and Karad South president Devanand Patil, were also present.
The road blockade near the Kognoli toll plaza places the farmers’ pricing dispute in the setting of a major highway corridor connecting Pune and Bengaluru. The source report did not provide details of traffic disruption, the number of participating farmers, the government’s response or any deadline for resolving the demand.
