Large barricades erected by the police and topped with barbed wire are a few hundred meters from the field, preventing farmers from invading downtown Delhi. Sometimes the violence broke out during the demonstrations.
Farmers are fighting new agricultural laws passed last September, which they say will devastate their livelihoods. The government says reforms are necessary to modernize the country’s agricultural industry.
With negotiations between the government and farmers’ unions stalled, the protests do not seem to end anytime soon. Here’s what you need to know about the situation.
Why do farmers protest the new laws?
For decades, the Indian government has offered guaranteed prices to farmers for certain crops, creating a stable guide for decision making and investment for the next crop cycle.
Under previous laws, farmers had to sell their products at auction at their state’s Agricultural Products Market Committee, where they were guaranteed to receive at least the minimum price agreed by the government. There were restrictions on who could buy and prices were limited for essential commodities.
Modi says this gives farmers more freedom to do things like sell directly to buyers, without an intermediary, and sell to other states or large supermarket chains.
But many farmers argue that the laws will allow large companies to lower prices. While farmers can sell their crops at higher prices if demand is present, on the other hand, they may struggle to reach the minimum price in years of oversupply.
Why is this a political issue?
This is not the first time that major protests have rocked India, the world’s largest democracy – but this time, it represents a unique challenge for Modi.
Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have tried to win over farmers with a series of policy proposals in recent years. In 2014, the BJP said that all crop prices should be set at least 50% higher than production costs. And in 2016, Modi set a goal to double farmers’ incomes by 2022.
The government insists that the new laws are good, as increased competition in the market could increase farmers’ incomes. Modi says the new laws could also open the Indian agricultural industry to global markets and attract private investment.
“These reforms have not only served to free our farmers, but have also given them new rights and opportunities,” said Modi in November.
When did the protests start?
The mass protests began shortly after the laws were passed in September.
In November, enraged farmers drove tractor vehicles from across India to set up several roadblocks at New Delhi’s borders. Thousands marched from other states close to the city, where violence soon exploded, with police firing tear gas and water cannons to prevent them from entering the capital.
The protests continued throughout December, with supporters from across the country participating in work and hunger strikes. Sometimes demonstrations increased to more than 100,000 people around Delhi – although largely peaceful, there were occasional outbreaks of violence and fights with the police.
The government has faced criticism for how it handled the protests, particularly the violent clashes between farmers, their supporters and Delhi police during a tractor parade on Republic Day in January.
In a joint statement after the confrontation, 16 opposition parties accused Modi and the BJP of using excessive force and being “arrogant, inflexible and undemocratic in their responses”.
In the camps on the Delhi border, security forces watch from the outside edges – they did not try to clear the camp, probably because it would be politically unpopular.
According to Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella representing farmers in protest, at least 147 farmers died during the protests due to causes including suicide, road accidents and exposure to the cold. Authorities have not given an official figure on the deaths of protesters.
Was there any progress in the negotiations?
Government leaders were unable to reach any agreement or compromise with leaders of more than 30 farmers’ unions, despite months of negotiation.
Authorities suggested amendments to the three laws in December, including a proposal that state governments could impose taxes on private companies – but farmers rejected those proposals, saying the government was “insincere” in its efforts.
Several days later, the government announced that it was willing to suspend the laws for another 12 to 18 months, while working with farmers’ unions to seek a long-term commitment.
But the protests continued, with some farmers promising not to leave until the laws are completely repealed.
Just last week, farmers blocked roads and held rallies in several states, with police arresting several protesters.