SAMUDRAPUR, Feb 14: Shetkari Sanghatana leader Sharad Joshi admitted on Friday that Sanghatana activists from Samudrapur tehsil - once considered as the stronghold of Sanghatana - were campaigning for Congress candidate Datta Meghe.Addressing a public meeting here in favour of the Sanghatana's candidate Sarojtai Kashikar, who is contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll from Wardha Lok Sabha constituency, Joshi admitted that several activists had left the Sanghatana. However, he expressed confidence that those activists would return to the Sanghatana soon.
Saying that Saroj Kashikar was like his daughter, Joshi added that she had worked for the welfare of farmers for 17 years. He urged the people to vote for Kashikar to protect the interest of farmers.
Speaking about the unseasonal rains which damaged the crops during the current year, Joshi said that although the Shetkari Sanghatana tried to teach dharma to the farmers, they failed to learn it.
``This is the reason why the farmers are now findingthemselves in a hopeless situation. They themselves split this organisation in the name of religion and caste,'' he said.
Kashikar, Sanghatana's women front chief Sumantai Agrawal, Kishor Mathankar and Ramgopal Agrawal also spoke at the meeting.
The most interesting part of the public meeting was that only 2,500 farmers had assembled at the site to listen to their leaders. This was in total contrast to the meetings held by Joshi a few years ago, when thousands of villagers would turn up regularly to hear him.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
