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 Dr Dakshayani Deshpande travelled with the march. This was also something unique. Dr Ratna Patankar and her husband Dr Shyam Ashtekar, who both worked at the Primary Health Centre at Chakan, worked closely with Joshi in later years. Flag hoisting ceremony took place in Ambethan village in the morning and the 6,000-strong cheering marchers reached open ground in front of Chakan Market at around twelve noon. About 2,000 people had already gathered there to welcome them. Interestingly, the procession included over 1,000 women. Majority of the marchers were tribal who were worst hit by the lack of proper road. Loud slogans were raised and the atmosphere was charged with fighting spirit. Chakan had never seen a larger crowd in its history. They had kept politicians away. As was the practice with all SS meetings, at the start their art troop presented two well-known inspiring songs; ‘kisananchya baya, amhi, shetkari baya’ (we the women of the farmers) and ‘yethun tethun sara, petoo de desh’ (from this end to that end, let the country rise). In his speech Joshi narrated how because of the sheer apathy of the government the issue of road had remained pending for several years and how it had become difficult for the villagers to live with dignity as human beings. Lack of road resulted in lack of schools, market, shops, doctors, transport and the entire essential infrastructure. He appealed to everyone that they should not pay the government revenue tax unless this road was built. At the end, a collective oath was taken; whereby Joshi uttered aloud one line and everyone present repeated it. Subsequently, such oath became a feature of every SS meeting. The response received for the march was overwhelming and the entire area had to take notice of that new storm raging through the Bhamner Valley called Sharad Joshi. The Vandre to Chakan road was eventually constructed by the government at its own sweet speed and the quality was sadly very poor. 108

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Sharad Joshi : Leading Farmers to the Centre Stage