NAGPUR: Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has called off the proposed farmers’ march from Sewagram to Delhi against the Land Acquisition Bill being brought in by the Modi government . The march was to begin on March 30 and reach Delhi on May 1, with an expected participation of around 20,000 farmers from 12 states of the country.

Hazare held a preliminary meeting at Sewagram on March 9 to plan the protest march and several social activists attended it. It was decided to start mobilizing farmers from all over the country from March 21 and start the main march from Bapu Kuti in Sewagram on March 30. However, in the meantime, several regions of the country, especially Maharashtra, suffered unseasonal rains and hailstorms, that caused major damage to standing Rabi crops.

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On Tuesday, farmers’ representatives met Hazare at his Ralegan base in Ahmednagar district and apprised him of the situation. A source present at the meeting said Hazare, after hearing the problems of farmers, announced cancellation of the padyatra. It was felt farmers reeling under the fresh crop loss close on the heels of the drought crisis, would not be able to join the march wholeheartedly. Instead, he has decided to address flamers’ rallies at various places to apprise them of how the Bill in its present form was against interests of the land owners.

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