Devendra Kumar
Tens of thousands of Indian farmers have been marching towards the capital city of Delhi for a second consecutive day, demanding guaranteed prices for their produce. The protest has turned violent, with farmers clashing with police near the Shambhu border, which divides the northern states of Punjab and Haryana. The farmers, primarily from Punjab and Haryana, began their march on Tuesday after talks between farm leaders and government ministers failed to produce any consensus on their key demand for legislation guaranteeing a minimum support price for their produce.
The farmers are also demanding that the government follow through on its promise to double their income, waive their loans, and withdraw legal cases brought against them during earlier protests. Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a leader of one of the groups, emphasized that the farmers are not interested in talks with the government unless they are willing to listen to their demands. “We don’t want the government to say that farmers were being invited for talks, but they are not coming. So we said that we are ready to have a discussion,” he said.
Despite the government’s efforts to block them, the farmers are determined to reach Delhi and demand their rights. They have been traveling on trucks and wagons loaded with food and other supplies, and are refusing to back down. The government has maintained tight security at multiple entry points into Delhi, with police blocking major highways with barriers made of giant metal containers, barbed wire, spikes, and cement blocks. Mobile internet was also suspended for a second day in some areas of Haryana to prevent communication among the protesters.
The march comes just months before a national election, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is widely expected to win a third term. The protests could pose a significant challenge for him and his governing Bharatiya Janata Party, as farmers form a key voting bloc. The farmers have received support from opposition parties, which have condemned the government’s attempt to block them from reaching Delhi. The main opposition Congress party has promised to pass legislation providing minimum support prices if it is voted into power in the upcoming national election.
The standoff between the farmers and the government could have significant implications for the upcoming national election and the future of Indian agriculture. The government has withdrawn the controversial agriculture laws that were passed last year, but the farmers are not satisfied with this move, as they want the government to guarantee a minimum support price for their produce. The farmers are determined to reach Delhi and demand their rights, which could lead to a major crisis for the government.