The Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI(M), on Monday took out a massive long march in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, with around 50,000 people walking from Charoti (Dahanu) to the district headquarters.

The march saw the participation of large numbers of farmers, Adivasis, workers, women, youth and students.

The nearly 50-km-long march was organised to draw the attention of the Centre and the state government to key demands, including the restoration of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), full implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), withdrawal of the smart electricity meter scheme, and repeal of the four labour codes.

The march reached the Palghar collectorate on Tuesday, where protesters staged a sit-in to press their demands. Tight police security was deployed along the route in view of the agitation. Party leaders said the march remained peaceful throughout.

Key demands raised by the protesters included rolling back policies that weaken MGNREGA, recognition of forest rights of Adivasi communities, scrapping the plan to install smart electricity meters, and repeal of what they described as anti-worker labour laws. The demonstrators also demanded the cancellation of the proposed Vadhvan and Murbe port projects.

The march was led by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) president Dr Ashok Dhawale, along with AIKS general secretary Vijoo Krishnan and other party leaders. They warned that if the administration failed to provide written and time-bound assurances on the demands, the agitation would be intensified and could be taken to Mumbai.

Traffic was disrupted for some time near the collectorate due to the protest, while efforts were ongoing to hold talks between the administration and the agitators.