Long march to Mumbai: Protesters march towards Mumbai, refuse to stop without meeting CM

Thousands of tribal people who started their long march on January 26, on Monday refused to halt it without meeting the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and receiving assurances from him about their land rights. They have walked over 80 kilometres so far and will continue their march towards Mumbai on Tuesday (January 27, 2026) as well. They celebrated the Republic Day on the Nashik - Mumbai highway on Monday (January 26, 2026), where the National Flag was ceremoniously tied high to the leading truck of the march.

A delegation of the protesters, consisting of CPI(M) leaders, All India Kisan Sabha leaders and elected representatives will meet the government officials and Ministers in Mumbai on Tuesday (January 27, 2026).

The morcha is expected to reach Mumbai on February 3. Their primary demands are regarding land rights, water issues, education and recruitment. At the heart of the protest is the high rate of rejections of land ownership claims under the Forest Rights Act, and other issues pertaining to its implementation.

“Our demand is that the tribals should get their land rights. The implementation of the Forest Rights Act should be done in letter and spirit. The percentage of the denial of land rights of these tribals is still quite high in Maharashtra. There is the issue of the diversion of river water as well, something which was promised to us during our 2018 long march. That promise for the fulfilment of water needs of tribals, has not yet been fulfilled. The Guardian Minister of Nashik met us today, and asked us to withdraw our protest. We have flatly refused it. We will not back off till our demands are fulfilled this time,” Ashok Dhawale, president of All India Kisan Sabha, told The Hindu from Nashik.

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan had requested the protesters to halt the protest. He promised that the government will hold a meeting with the protesters on Tuesday (January 27, 2026), along with all the concerned Ministers and officials. But the protesters refused to accept it.

“They have started their protest because of some pending issues. I have had a meeting with them. These are all resolvable issues. All these matters are related to tribal affairs, revenue department, education department. We will hold a meeting in mantralay after the cabinet on Tuesday, and will resolve them,” Girish Mahajan said.

The National Highway was dotted with red flags as the protesters marched for several kilometres on Monday (January 26, 2026). Disciplined lines of thousands of men and women walked in batches, behind trucks, carrying banners and flags.

Speaking about the celebration of Republic Day by the protesters, Mr. Dhawale said, “The contribution of Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar to the framing of the Constitution was recalled, homage was paid to the martyrs of the freedom struggle and of all later struggles of the toiling people, and the defence of the fundamental Constitutional values of sovereignty, democracy, secularism and socialism were underlined.”