Indian Farmers Renew Protests, Clashes Erupt with Police

Thousands of farmers from states like Punjab and Haryana are resuming their protests to demand guaranteed minimum support prices for farm produce, with clashes erupting between the protesters and police in northern India.

Authorities have fortified the borders of Delhi with razor wire, cement blocks, and fencing to prevent a repeat of the prolonged 2020 demonstrations that led to the repeal of controversial agricultural laws by Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s government.

Scuffles have broken out as protesters attempt to march towards Delhi, particularly at the Shambhu border between Haryana and Punjab, where tear gas was deployed by law enforcement officials to disperse the crowds.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government in Haryana has taken measures such as internet service suspensions in several districts to control the situation and maintain roadblocks.

Previous talks between federal ministers and farm union leaders have failed to yield agreements on key demands like assured floor prices, also known as minimum support price (MSP), and the doubling of farmers’ income, setting the stage for the renewed protests.

Amidst the escalating tensions, the Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee’s general secretary, Sarvan Singh Pandher, emphasized the peaceful nature of the farmers’ movement and their objective to have the government address their grievances.

As the standoff continues, farmers and trade unions have planned a nationwide rural strike on February 16, during which agricultural activities will halt, markets and offices in villages will close, and major roads across the country will witness blockades.