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 anything, but two things he just cannot do – to fast and to refrain from elections!’ Ultimately everything concerning agriculture was decided by the Government. The price of the farm produce, permission for export or import, policy regarding credit and so many other things were decided by the government. Political power was the only way to exercise any influence over that governmental decision-making. There were also some practical advantages in having political power. For instance, reducing the pain and loss of energy involved in court matters. Joshi and his close colleagues were simultaneously facing several court battles. Even if he got bail from a particular district court, police would again arrest him and he would be produced in the court in another district. When he got bail in that second court, he would still be arrested and produced in the court in yet another district. That process would continue indefinitely. He had to travel in rickety police vehicles on fractured uneven roads; just like any other ordinary criminal. In his words it was, “torture by transport”. Subsequently, senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani made an appeal in the High Court and got many such cases clubbed together which helped. Joshi and his colleagues felt that political influence might help reduce this burden of court cases. However, court cases continued to haunt Joshi all through his life. Even in 2014, when he was very unwell, he had to personally appear in connection with the old pending cases at the courts in Battis Shirale and Bhusaval. Even when not directly involved in politics, Joshi did maintain contact with some national leaders. For instance, on Sunday, 6 October 1985 a gathering of sugarcane farmers was held by SS at Rahuri in Ahmednagar district. SS had invited leaders of all political parties and they came; except Vasantdada Patil of Indira Congress. Earlier he had accepted the invitation On Political Front

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