First modification:
The confrontation between the Indian Government and the farmers is more open than ever. Since September last year, when the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, presented three laws to reform the country’s agrarian system, there have been protest marches that bring together thousands of peasants. Thus, the 72nd anniversary of the signing of the Indian Constitution has ended with dozens of injuries and at least one protester dead.
India recorded its most violent day due to protests by farmers against the reforms imposed by the Government. The authorities imposed a series of strict regulations to be observed, but some protesters of the march broke with this.
While the union of 32 agricultural groups, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), abided by the rules, the other sector of farmers, under the umbrella of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, violated the security perimeter of the Police. At that moment, the charges and the use of tear gas began by the security forces.
From 8:00 am, tractors, vehicles and hundreds of thousands of protesters were waiting in the vicinity of the national highway No. 1, which connects the neighboring state of Haryana and the capital. During the morning, the march was peaceful and military parades, accompanied by air displays, took place in the heart of Delhi.
Many users of the social network Twitter highlighted how the demonstration had a more festive atmosphere than a protest. A situation that ended in the afternoon, when a nucleus of protesters broke through the barricades using violence. Upon entering the capital, they headed towards the historic Red Fort of India, placing flags of agricultural collectives and religious communities.
“Anti-social elements have infiltrated this peaceful movement. We have always maintained that peace is our greatest strength and that its violation would harm the movement, “read the statement from the majority peasant movement, Samyukta Kisan Morcha.
Less than a week before the general budgets of the country are signed, today’s march has resulted in 86 police officers injured and one deceased. According to official reports, a vehicle ran over him during the protest, although many peasants claim that he was killed by the police themselves during the confrontation.
Civil society against the populist policies of Narendra Modi
“This march sends the message to the Indian people that we are suffering and no one is listening to us,” Hannan Mollah, the general secretary of the All India peasant front, Kisan Sabha, told EFE news agency.
During the mobilizations at the end of 2020, several campsites were established for the protesters in northern India. Despite basic hygiene kits, food and other essentials, inclement weather killed 160 attendees, something local media directly attributed to illness or suicide.
At that time, these peasants won the support not only of the entire Indian agricultural community, but also of the country’s citizens. Union that led to a transversal movement against what they consider to be the supremacist policies of the Modi government.
The protests claim that the prime minister’s mandate is based on shock policies of a populist nature, which are gradually bringing great humanitarian and economic consequences to the country’s population.
To this must be added the confinement that Modi imposed without notice on the citizens of the capital, which caused a massive exodus of people from the city to the town. Therefore, the effects of his agricultural reform would multiply if it were to occur.
The Indian Executive continues in its attempt to pass the three laws
The prime minister has shielded himself from the importance of these measures for the transformation of the country’s agricultural production. “They are reforms necessary for development and we cannot build the next century with laws from the previous century,” Narendra Modi excused himself.
Modi seems to still not understand the controversy and opposition that this reform has generated among the community. “Today’s events show how the state has underestimated the will of the people,” explained Amandeep Sandhu, a writer who has researched agricultural practices in the Punjab region.
MSP operations during Kharif marketing season 2020-21
About 84.71 lakh farmers have benefitted from KMS procurement operations with MSP value of Rs 110934.02 crore
Read: https://t.co/awNTKnWqlx
– GDP India (@PIB_India) January 26, 2021
After 10 rounds of negotiations with representatives of the agricultural union, the government was unable to reach an agreement. Finally, the Supreme Court froze the process of ratification of the laws, until the committee of experts analyzes them and looks for a solution that pleases both parties.
However, some agricultural groups have denounced that the evaluation panel is made up of four members who are in favor of the reform. Accusations that the court has described as “unnecessary libel”.
To all this, Modi’s cabinet also requested an 18-month extension, a proposal that the unions did not accept, considering that the government was only seeking to buy the leaders of the movements, thus silencing all protests.
With EFE and local media
.
source https://pledgetimes.com/violence-stars-in-protests-by-indian-farmers-against-reforms/
Disqus comments