New Delhi: Farmers in India have intensified their protests and announced a nationwide strike.
According to details, the farmers’ protest in India is continuing for the twelfth day while the Sikhs also staged a protest in front of the Indian High Commission in London against the excesses.
It may be recalled that in September this year, the Modi government had passed a new law in the name of agrarian reform under which the government’s control over the fixing of minimum prices of important agricultural commodities was completely abolished. They have been given the freedom to buy agricultural commodities at their preferred prices by bargaining directly with the farmers.
Indian farmers are protesting against the passage of the bill and under the recent “Let’s Go to Delhi” campaign, millions of farmers have cordoned off the Indian capital, Delhi.
Meanwhile, various BJP government officials also held talks with the farmers and tried their best to persuade them to end the protest. Five rounds of talks between the government and the farmers’ leaders have failed and the central government has persuaded them to end the protest.
Farmers have also rejected the government’s offer to amend controversial agricultural laws. Farmers’ organizations and leaders are demanding the repeal of agricultural laws introduced by the BJP. Farmers leaders also announced a nationwide strike and intensification of protests on Tuesday.
In addition to the Indian opposition parties, parties in the self-governing coalition have so far come out in support of the farmers, while in some Indian states even the BJP leaders themselves have been forced to speak out against the new agricultural law.
Expressing solidarity in London
Farmers coming to New Delhi, the capital of Punjab, have been holding sit-ins on the highways of Delhi and Haryana. Thousands of Sikhs in London rallied outside the Indian High Commission to protest.
The protesters chanted slogans against the Modi government. They demanded that the farmers be given their due.