Modi breaks silence on months’ long farm protests

INDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday protesters that stormed New Delhi’s Red Fort had caused insult to the country, his first public comments on a months-long farmers’ agitation that turned violent last week.

Tens of thousands of farmers have camped on the outskirts of the capital for more than two months, protesting new agricultural laws they say benefit private buyers at the expense of growers.

A tractor parade on Tuesday’s Republic Day turned violent when some protesters deviated from preagreed routes, clashing with police and breaking into the historic Red Fort complex in the capital. One died and hundreds were injured.

‘The country was saddened by the insult to the Tricolor (Indian flag) on the 26th of January in Delhi,’ Modi said in a radio address on Sunday.

‘The government is committed to modernizing agriculture and is also taking many steps in that direction.’

Farm leaders say they were not responsible for violence, that was caused by a minority of those on the parade, and the government has left open the possibility of talks between the two sides resuming.

Modi told opposition party leaders on Saturday that an offer to freeze the laws for 18 months still stands, according to a government summary of the meeting.

Meanwhile, Indian police and paramilitary dug ditches and spread razor wire across main roads into New Delhi on Monday to prevent protesting farmers entering the capital as the finance minister prepared to deliver the government’s annual budget in parliament.

Internet and messaging services were blocked in several neighbourhoods on the outskirts where protests turned violent, and security was stepped up around parliament and other important government offices in the central district.

‘The government has increased security to avoid any clash or violence when parliament is in session,’ said a senior official who didn’t wish to be named in line with official policy. ‘The idea is to keep everyone safe and avoid any escalation in tensions.’

The farmers want the government to withdraw three new farm laws - introduced by Modi’s government in September - that they say will hurt their livelihoods and benefit large private produce buyers.

The government says the reforms will open up new opportunities for farmers and it has invited farmer leaders for fresh talks to end the deadlock.