Modi’s popularity at risk as farmers rally in Delhi
80,000 demand debt waivers, guaranteed prices for crops ahead of national elections
Tens of thousands of farmers congregated in the heart of India’s capital yesterday demanding debt waivers and guaranteed prices for crops, underscoring challenges Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces before national elections next year.
A march by more than 80,000 people representing about 200 farmer groups was halted a kilometre short of India’s parliament. The gathering was one of the biggest to hit the Indian capital since 2012 protests over the gang rape of a student.
Modi’s administration is trying to win over Indian farmers and douse their ire over the failure to fulfill his promise of 50 per cent profit
over the cost of production. As the country heads to polls, due in early 2019, the main opposition Congress party is moving to cash in on the disenchantment over unemployment and rising social tensions.
orrespondent
Aday after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan asked India to move forward on the peace dialogue process, India’s Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said yesterday that Islamabad needs to be a secular state first, to have better ties with New Delhi and reach an agreement on contentious bilateral issues.
“Pakistan has made itself an Islamic state. If they have to stay together with India, they have to develop as a secular state. If they are willing to become secular like us, then they seem to have an opportunity,” General Rawat said at a function in Pune. On Thursday, Khan had said that his country wanted a “civilised relationship” with India.
Rawat also countered Khan on his comment that Pakistan had taken a step forward by facilitating the Kartarpur corridor between both countries for Indian Sikh pilgrims, and that India should follow suit.
“Pakistan is saying you take one step, we will take ■ two. There is a contradiction in what they are saying. One step from there should come in a positive manner; we will see if the step has effect on the ground. Till then, our nation has a clear policy: terror and talks cannot go together,” General Rawat stated.
Earlier last week, Pakistan said it would invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit. However, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that India would not attend it.
She also said the Kartarpur corridor initiative was not linked to the dialogue process with Pakistan. “Dialogue will begin only when Pakistan stops terrorist activities in India,” Swaraj said.