India, Oct. 3 -- Barely a month after his massive agitation in Mumbai for Maratha reservation, Manoj Jarange-Patil, in his Dussehra rally at Narayangad, took up the cause of farmers who had suffered on account of the recent heavy rains. The activist put up eight demands before the state government, including an official announcement of a wet drought, a complete loan waiver for farmers and compensation of Rs.70,000 to Rs.1.30 lakh a hectare for those whose crops had been damaged.

Jarange-Patil also demanded government jobs for the heirs of farmers who had died by suicide, a minimum support price for crops, relaxation in the conditions for crop insurance, and government-employee status for farmers with landholdings of less than 10 acres, a...