With tribal music to keep their spirits up on Sunday night after undertaking a vehicular march from Nashik to Azad Maidan, the nearly 15,000 farmers, workers, and peasants celebrated the completion of their journey combining it with vigorous dancing and singing. The exhausted slept under the white shamiana on the ground, which, on Monday morning, was the epicentre of the joint struggle between the farmers and several social and civil rights groups on one side, and the Modi government at the Centre, over the latters’ recently passed three farm laws and the proposed changes in labour laws.

At around 11.30 AM on Monday, Azad Maidan drowned under the sea of farmers, most wearing red paper caps with Kisan Sabha written on them. On the stage sat leaders of the Samyukta Shetkari Kamgar Morcha (SSKM), namely, Dr Ashok Dhawale (President—AIKS); Hannan Mollah (AIKS General Secretary); Dr Ajit Navale, social activist; Medha Patkar of Narmada Bachao Andolan; noted activist Feroz Mithiborwala, as well as politicos from the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government—including NCP President Sharad Pawar and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat. However, no senior Shiv Sena leaders were present for the rally.