PUNE, Jan. 26 -- Around 40,000 farmers launched a 'long march' from Nashik on Sunday, demanding implementation of long-pending assurances under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), completion of irrigation projects, and filling of thousands of vacant posts in Zilla Parishad schools. The march, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), also targets what organisers describe as corporate-friendly policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra, including the smart electricity meter scheme, alleged dilution of MGNREGA, land acquisition through government-corporate partnerships, and the implementation of the four labour codes. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Dr Ajit Nawale, Maharashtra state secretary and national joint secretary of the Kisan Sabha, said, "With over 50,000 farmers and protesters, we began our march from Nashik on Sunday and will reach Mumbai by February 2. If our demands are not met, we will gherao the Mantralaya as part of our protest." Nawale added that apart from FRA and PESA, farmers are demanding diversion of rainwater from tribal areas to drought-prone regions such as Marathwada, while opposing any plan to divert this water to Gujarat. "After our agitations in the past the government had assured the implementation of our demands but done nothing. The BJP government is interested in safeguarding the interests of Adani and Ambais. The government has been handing over the entire state to these industrialists and the discontent among the people are against it," Nawale said. The march took its first halt on the acres of baron land at Rahul Bahula in Nashik and will resume on Monday towards Shahapur. Thousands of protesters, including women, many of whom are barefoot, are carrying red flags and raising slogans demanding fulfilment of their long pending demands....