Anna Hazare plans 1,100-km padyatra against ‘anti-farmer’ Land Acquisition Bill

Mumbai: Veteran social activist Anna Hazare has announced a 1,100-km padayatra (foot march) to put pressure on the Central government against “anti-farmer” provisions in the Land Acquisition Act.

The foot march will begin from Gandhi Ashram at Sewagram in Wardha, and will end at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, Hazare said in a statement on Tuesday.

The march, on the lines of Mahatma Gandhi’s historic Dandi march, is anticipated to take around three months to cover the distance till Delhi. The schedule of the march will be decided in a meeting at Sewagram on March 9.

The decision to launch padayatra was taken after holding talks with farmers’ leaders and unions in order to put pressure on the government, Hazare said.

“We will also appeal to the farmers across the country to court arrest at the local level,” Hazare said.