Thousands of farmers brave rain to undertake Sadbuddhi Dindi Yatra for cancellation of Shaktipeeth Expressway
Kolhapur:Undeterred by heavy rain , thousands of farmers from 13 districts across Maharashtra gathered in the holy town of Pandharpur on Saturday for a ‘ Sadbuddhi Dindi Yatra .’ The religious-style protest march was organised to demand the immediate cancellation of the proposed 856-km Nagpur-Goa Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Expressway .
The procession, spanning 3.5 km from Wakhari ground to the Namdev Payari of the Vitthal Temple , resonated with the traditional sounds of taal and mridang. Participants carried saffron flags and chanted slogans against the project. A heavy police presence was maintained throughout the town to manage the large crowd.
In a symbolic gesture, the protesting farmers offered collective prayers to Lord Vitthal, seeking divine intervention to grant “Sadbuddhi” (wisdom) to the state leadership, specifically chief minister Devendra Fadnavis , to scrap the expressway project.
The rally saw significant political backing, with leaders like MLA Jayant Patil , MLC Satej Patil, MP Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil, former MP Raju Shetti , former minister Mahadev Jankar, and MLAs Amit Deshmukh, Kailas Patil, and Abhijit Patil participating in traditional Warkari attire.
Criticizing the government’s approach, MLA Jayant Patil said, “The state government is mistaken if they believe extra compensation—similar to the Samruddhi Highway model—will win over farmers this time. If this highway is truly meant to connect spiritual sites, why does it bypass the Vitthal Temple here in Pandharpur? This road is being built primarily to transport minerals from Northeast Maharashtra to Goa, not for the devotees.”
The procession, spanning 3.5 km from Wakhari ground to the Namdev Payari of the Vitthal Temple , resonated with the traditional sounds of taal and mridang. Participants carried saffron flags and chanted slogans against the project. A heavy police presence was maintained throughout the town to manage the large crowd.
In a symbolic gesture, the protesting farmers offered collective prayers to Lord Vitthal, seeking divine intervention to grant “Sadbuddhi” (wisdom) to the state leadership, specifically chief minister Devendra Fadnavis , to scrap the expressway project.
The rally saw significant political backing, with leaders like MLA Jayant Patil , MLC Satej Patil, MP Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil, former MP Raju Shetti , former minister Mahadev Jankar, and MLAs Amit Deshmukh, Kailas Patil, and Abhijit Patil participating in traditional Warkari attire.
Criticizing the government’s approach, MLA Jayant Patil said, “The state government is mistaken if they believe extra compensation—similar to the Samruddhi Highway model—will win over farmers this time. If this highway is truly meant to connect spiritual sites, why does it bypass the Vitthal Temple here in Pandharpur? This road is being built primarily to transport minerals from Northeast Maharashtra to Goa, not for the devotees.”
Next Story