1,000s of Indian farmers protest in New Delhi for higher crop prices

Thousands of Indian farmers from across the country reached the capital New Delhi for a demonstration to pressure the government for higher guaranteed prices for their crops.

Arriving in buses and trains, farmers flocked at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Thursday to attend “Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat” (the farmer laborer grand assembly). Authorities had barricaded highways into the capital with cement blocks and barbed wire.

Organized by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 37 farm unions, which gave the call for the grand assembly on February 22 at a meeting in Chandigarh, got a no-objection certificate for the gathering from the Delhi police and municipal corporation.

“Through this meeting, we want to show government authorities that we are not too far from reaching our goals,” Darshan Pal, a member of the SKM, told ANI.

“We can surround Delhi whenever we want,” he added.

“Whatever decision is taken today, the people gathered here would inform about it to people in their respective villages, cities, states. There is a need of a big agitation in the country,” the Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait was quoted as saying.

While hearing their leaders’ speeches, the farmers occasionally broke into chants against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his administration, which had halted their February 13 march around 200 kilometers away from New Delhi.

Farmers' unions and the government held four rounds of talks in February but failed to reach an agreement.

“This is a one-day event meant to serve as a reminder to Modi government of their unfulfilled promises,” said Narendra Singh, a farmer from the northern state of Haryana.

India police fire tear gas at farmers demanding higher crop prices

Indian Police fire tear gas to prevent thousands of protesting farmers demanding better crop prices from marching on Delhi.

The demonstrations come ahead of a pivotal moment for India, as the country gears up for a national election scheduled for April-May. Modi's ruling party is anticipated to win a third consecutive term.

The Delhi police had restricted the number of participants to 5,000 but expects more than 15,000 attendees, while the SKM expects more than 30,000 farmers from Punjab who are about to reach the national capital.

Farmers are seeking state guarantees of more support for the agricultural sector or a minimum purchase price for crops.

Protesters are urging New Delhi to fulfill its commitment of doubling their incomes, while also calling for the government to guarantee a minimum profit of 50% above production costs and provide a debt waiver.

“Our main demand is a legally guaranteed minimum support price,” said 39-year-old Utpal Biswas, from the eastern state of West Bengal. “Today's protest is supposed to last for a day but we will see how it progresses.”

Chitwant Singh, a protester, said farmers did not earn enough to cover their costs. “The traders and middlemen take away all our profits.”

The main opposition Congress party’s leader Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday if the opposition’s newly formed Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA bloc) is voted to power, it will be the “voice of farmers” and frame policies to protect them.

“Today is an important day because the government has finally come under pressure from farmers and farmer groups,” Jairam Ramesh, a spokesperson of the Congress party, told ANI.

In the wake of a series of protests that spanned from August 2020 to December 2021, the Modi government decided to revoke the agricultural reform laws and made a promise to establish a committee that would explore methods to guarantee support prices.

However, farmers have accused the authorities in New Delhi of delaying the fulfillment of this commitment.

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