NAFED stopped the purchase on 23 April itself. In protest Joshi started his second indefinite fast on 1 May. On 3 May Police arrested Joshi on the charge of attempted suicide and shifted him to Sasoon Hospital in Pune. But Joshi continued his fast even in the hospital and refused to take any treatment. He said in the court, ‘My fast is not an attempt to suicide. Therefore the charge under which I have been arrested in totally wrong.’ That point was in discussion for several months after that. Meantime the fast had continued. While all that was happening the demonstrating farmers had continued to sit at the gate of the Chakan Market. They had not sold their onion and their struggle was far from over. One afternoon, suddenly the sky became overcast. It was feared that it might rain. If that happened, the heaps of onions lying by the roadside would rot. Some farmers were gripped with this fear. ‘Let’s sell onion at whatever rate we get and next time we shall think of the struggle,’ some said. It was the most trying time for the SS. At this critical junction Leelatai arrived on the scene. As soon as she reached, some key farmers surrounded her and requested to persuade Joshi to stop the fast and give permission to sell their onion. ‘Permit us this one last time. Next time we shall continue to hold on till the end,’ they said. Hoping that she would give that advice to all the assembled farmers, they requested her to speak. But to their astonishment she spoke something totally contradictory. She said, ‘Those of you who wish to sell their onion now may jolly well go ahead and do so. Even if each and every one of you leaves this struggle, I shall still not ask my husband to end his fast. Not only that, but my husband, me, our vehicle, our two bulls and our dog Dash will all sit on this road and shall continue the struggle. Even if I lose my husband, I shall not turn my back on this struggle.’ 112
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Sharad Joshi : Leading Farmers to the Centre Stage
