Indian farmers on day-long hunger strike as protests intensify
INDIA Indian farmers held a daylong hunger strike to put pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to repeal a set of new farm laws passed recently. Tens of thousands of farmers across India began their hunger strike at 8am yesterday until 5pm, as farmers’ unions intensified their agitation for the 19th day.
The new laws seek to deregulate India’s enormous agriculture sector by allowing farmers to sell their produce to private buyers beyond governmentrun wholesale markets, where farmers are assured a minimum price for their crops.
But the farmers say the laws threaten their livelihoods and will only benefit big corporations, leaving growers at the mercy of a free market. “Today, we have given a call for protests in all the districts all over India. Main leaders belonging to different farmer organisations will observe fast as a means of protest against the new agriculture laws,” Darshan Pal, a farmer leader, told Al Jazeera, adding that if the government invited them again for talks, “we will consider it positively”.
This is the second time in two weeks the farmers have called for nationwide protests, asking people to hold sitins outside district offices across the country.
The protests were being spearheaded by thousands of farmers camping outside the Indian capital, New Delhi, and blocking several highways leading to the city. Delhi state’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (Common Man’s Party) have extended support to the farmers by fasting with them on Monday.
Kejriwal urged his party’s supporters to join the agitation and urged Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to “shun arrogance” and agree to the demands of the farmers.
A BJP spokesperson refused to comment, saying the party has “advised” them not to talk to the media on the protests since the ministers are holding talks with the farmers’ representatives.
Last week, a group of opposition leaders including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met India’s President Ram Nath Kovind and told him the laws should be revoked. Agriculture contributes nearly 15 percent to India’s $2.9trillion economy and employs more than half of the country’s 1.4 billion people.
However, the sector has been facing a crisis, driving thousands of debtridden farmers to take their own lives in recent years.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic that has further disrupted the country’s economy, the rightwing BJP government passed the three farm laws in September. Modi said the legislation was needed to boost the agriculture sector, and that the new laws would benefit the farmers and “liberate” them from the tyranny of middlemen.
But the farmers, mostly from Haryana and Punjab states – considered the “grain bowl” of India – have slammed the laws as “antifarmer”. Several rounds of talks between the farmers’ representatives and the government have failed.
The farmers demand complete revocation of the three laws and a Minimum Support
Price (MSP) for their produce guaranteed by the government.
Last week, the government sent a written proposal to the farmers’ unions, laying out a series of amendments, including written assurances over MSP.
But the farmers rejected the offer. “The government’s proposal was just an eyewash,” said farmer Hanan Mullah.
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(Al Jazeera)