was a frequent criticism leveled at Joshi to break away farmers from him. Referring to that, More said, ‘The days when you could fool us like this are now over. Don’t tell us that this Joshi is a Brahmin and we should not therefore listen to him and all such stuff. The farmers are no longer so fools as to believe this!’ Disregarding the farmers’ agitation, Government ordered all sugar factories to start their production season from 23 October. Normally this is an important occasion for the sugar factories. Some leading figure is invited to start the boiler in the factory as a symbol of starting production. However, this time, though the date elapsed, no sugar factory could start in absence of sugarcane. In some places managements forcibly tried to start production but farmers opposed the move tooth and nail. At Shrigonda in Ahmadnagar district, a farmer lost his life in Police firing. He was the first farmer from that district to sacrifice his life for the struggle. Abdul Rehman Antulay was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra that time. He was determined to act tough. Apart from normal threats to the agitating farmers, the water supply to the sugarcane crops was also cut off in some places or the electric power was switched off. It was tormenting for the farmers to see their crop, nurtured like their child for twelve to fifteen months, wither at the very last moment. But they were still determined not to supply sugarcane for less than Rs. 300 a ton. Farmers had taken to the streets and demonstrations were taking place everywhere. All eyes were focused now on 10 November when the rasta roko and rail roko were to start. Eventually, that day came. Thousands of farmers came out on streets shouting slogans. The main procession left Nifad and started moving towards Nifad-Nashik road. Police stopped it near Aadgao and arrested top leaders Joshi, More and Boraste. Prahlad Karad Patil somehow managed to escape police clutches, went Bitter Story of Sugarcane
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