NEW DELHI: Indian police have erected roadblocks leading to New Delhi as farmers launched a march towards the capital, demanding higher support prices for their produce and pressing the government to fulfill its promises made three years ago.
Amid preparations for talks between government ministers and union leaders to address farmers’ grievances, roadblocks were put in place to prevent a recurrence of the 2021 protests, during which thousands of farmers camped on major highways leading to the capital.
The farmers’ march, originating from the northern Indian states of Punjab and Haryana, coincides with the upcoming national elections, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is struggling to secure a third term. With millions of farmers constituting a significant voting bloc, ruling parties vie to maintain their support.
Indian Farmers March Toward New Delhi
Television footage captured tractors advancing towards Delhi, while barriers, including barbed wire fencing and cement blocks, were erected on the city’s outskirts. Additionally, police issued orders prohibiting public gatherings in Delhi.
The farmers’ demands center on increased support or guaranteed prices for their produce, as well as the government’s pledge to double farmers’ income. While support prices for over 20 crops are announced annually, state agencies primarily purchase rice and wheat at these levels, benefiting only a fraction of farmers.
Sarvan Singh Pandher, General Secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, emphasized the peaceful nature of the protest, stating, “We will move peacefully, and our objective is that the government listens to our demands.”
The protest follows a year-long agitation in 2021, where tens of thousands of farmers rallied against three new agricultural laws enacted by the government. Farmers argued that they would relinquish control to private corporations and strip them of guaranteed minimum support prices for their produce.
Under mounting pressure, Modi’s administration ultimately repealed the contentious legislations, acknowledging the farmers’ concerns.
