Dnyaneshwar Salve alias Anand, (25), a farmer from Osmanbad district, kept Mantralaya on tenterhooks for nearly two hours on Friday, after he climbed onto the ledge along the seventh floor of the building, threatening to jump.
Mr. Salve was convinced against carrying out his threat through skilful negotiation, which included asking two print journalists to pose as television channel reporters to talk to him, and getting him to list his demands on paper with an assurance that no action would be taken against him.
Minister for Higher and Technical Education Vinod Tawde, who rushed to Mantralaya from a function in South Mumbai, also played negotiator. After speaking to Mr. Salve, the minister said, “The man’s family owns a three-acre farm in Masalakhurd village in Tuljapur. He was upset after their soya bean and cotton produce only managed to earn them ₹19,000, much lower than even their input costs.”
Mr. Tawde said Mr. Salve did not make any personal demands. “His demands were only in public interest. The only satisfaction is that after nearly two hours, his life was saved,” the minister said.
Mr. Tawde said that since the Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister, with whom Mr. Salve had demanded to speak, were out of Mumbai, he was asked to reach out to the farmer. “I asked Mr. Salve if he recognised me. He remembered that I had visited his village,” the minister said. He said that observing the man’s mood swings, he decided to stand back and allow the policemen to continue the conversation.
The negotiators, in particular Additional Commissioner of Police (Protection) R.D. Shinde, coaxed Mr. Salve to accept a glass of water and eventually abort his plan to jump off the ledge.
Mr. Salve’s demands included immediate implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, a fair and equitable resolution for people affected by the Krishna Valley Irrigation Project, and dropping of cases registered against farmers.
Mr. Tawde promised to convey the demands to the Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister.
The police detained and questioned Mr. Salve, and later let him leave.
