THE AIKS Maharashtra state council meeting that was held at the Comrade B T Ranadive Smarak Bhavan at Belapur in New Mumbai on June 30, 2014 under the chairmanship of AIKS state president Dada Raipure, took the following five major decisions: 1. Organise statewide mass actions from July 8 (Jyoti Basu birth centenary) to July 15 on the grim issue of drought and of compensation to peasants whose crops were destroyed by hailstorms, demanding access to water, food, employment, fodder, seeds and fertilizers, and the waiver of loans, electricity bills and students’ tuition fees; 2. Publish tens of thousands of leaflets and conduct a signature campaign in the 2,133 villages in 12 districts of the state that come under the draconian declaration of the Western Ghats eco-sensitive zone by the central government, in response to the Madhav Gadgil and Kasturirangan committee reports; 3. Observe August 3, which is the death anniversary of Comrade Shamrao Parulekar and also the birth anniversary of Krantisimha Nana Patil – both towering AIKS leaders of Maharashtra – as Kisan Day all over the state through public meetings exposing the anti-peasant policies of both the BJP- and Congress-led regimes at the centre and in the state; 4. Streamline the organisation, with insistence on regular meetings of district and tehsil councils, radical improvement in the functioning of the village committees and regular check-up on the work of the whole-timers through their monthly district-level meetings, all of which should result in a substantial rise in AIKS state membership next year; 5. Make all-out efforts to ensure the victory of Left and secular candidates in the crucial elections to the Maharashtra state assembly that are due to be held in October 2014. MASSIVE RALLY IN AHMEDNAGAR DIST In almost the whole month of June and the first half of July, there has been no rain in the state and this has severely affected both peasants and agricultural workers. Hence the AIKS call for struggle on the vexed issue of drought elicited great mass response. The largest action of over 15,000 peasants and rural workers was held on July 11 at Akole in Ahmednagar district of Western Maharashtra. Here, along with drought-related demands, issues of compensation for crop losses, food security, pensions for the destitute, corruption in the public distribution system, work under the MGNREGA, starting of cattle camps and provision of fodder were some of the other issues taken up. As a result of the tremendous mass pressure, the tehsildar himself had to come before the huge rally and had to concede most of the demands after a delegation had earlier met him. This demonstration was addressed by AIKS national joint secretary Dr Ashok Dhawale, AIKS state joint secretary Dr Ajit Nawale, district president and veteran leader Yadavrao Nawale, and other leaders like Sadashiv Sabale, Namdev Bhangare, Rajaram Lahamge, Eknath Mengal, Sahebrao Ghode, Halima Pathan, Baburao Aswale and many others. Again, from July 19 to 22, thousands of peasants conducted a satyagraha in the Akole tehsil office on drought-related demands of compensation for crop losses, demand for fodder for cattle, compensation for the loss during hailstorms and so on. As a result of the satyagraha, many of the demands were won and the peasants celebrated their victory. LARGE ACTIONS IN NASHIK DISTRICT In Nashik district, where drought conditions were severe, the AIKS mobilised over 25,000 peasants in demonstrations from July 8 to18 in the five tehsils of Surgana (12,000), Kalwan (5,000), Peth (3,000), Dindori (3,000) and Tryambakeshwar (2,500). These were led by AIKS state vice president J P Gavit, general secretary Kisan Gujar and AIKS leaders Hemant Waghere, Savliram Pawar, Irfan Shaikh, Gunaji Gavit, Subhash Choudhari, Ramji Gavit, Ramesh Choudhari and Namdev Mohandkar. Since there has been reasonably good rain in Thane district in July, there was no need for rallies here. SUSTAINED STRUGGLE IN PARBHANI DISTRICT In the Parbhani district of Marathwada region, a month-long struggle is on from June for getting compensation for the terrible crop losses due to hailstorms that struck farmers in the month of February. Another related struggle in the same district is now also going on for re-adjustment in the loans given to peasants and other drought-related demands. Over 5,000 peasants have been mobilised in tehsils like Parbhani, Pathri, Selu and Manwat. This struggle is being led by AIKS leaders Vilas Babar, Ramkrishna Shere, Deepak Lipne, Uddhav Poul, Limbaji Kachre, Digambar Poul and Anjali Babar, and by AIAWU leaders Rameshwar Poul, Kirtikumar Burande, Ramesh Sathe and Ashok Burkhunde. OTHER ACTIONS There have been other large demonstrations and marches on the issue of drought in districts of Nanded and Beed in Marathwada, Buldana and Yavatmal in Vidarbha, and Solapur in Western Maharashtra. In Nanded district, a 2000-strong march was held in Kinwat and a 500-strong road blockade in Mahur, both of which were led by AIKS state working president Arjun Adey and others. A 700-strong rally was held at Khamgaon in Buldana district and this was led by AIKS state president Dada Raipure and others. The 500-strong dharna at Solapur was led by AIKS leader Sidhappa Kalshetty and others. As a result of constant struggles over the last one year, the membership of the Maharashtra Rajya Kisan Sabha has increased from 2,13,331 in 2012-13 to 2,25,978 in 2013-14, despite the Lok Sabha election campaign. It will increase further next year.