Large barricades erected by the police and covered with barbed wire stand a few hundred meters from the camp, preventing the farmers from getting closer to the center of Delhi. Sometimes violence erupted during demonstrations.
The farmers are fighting against new farming laws passed in September last year, which they say will destroy their lives. The government says the reforms are needed to modernize the country’s agricultural industry.
With negotiations between the government and the farmers’ unions stalled, the protests do not seem to be ending any time soon. Here’s what you need to know about the situation.
Why are the farmers protesting the new laws?
The Indian government has been offering guaranteed prices to farmers for certain crops for decades, creating a stable guide to making decisions and investments for the next crop cycle.
Under the previous laws, farmers had to sell their goods at an auction at the Committee on Agricultural Products in their state, where they were guaranteed to receive at least the minimum agreed minimum price. There were restrictions on who could buy, and prices were limited for essential products.
Modi says it gives farmers more freedom to do things, such as selling directly to buyers without a middleman, and selling to other states or large groceries.
But many farmers argue that the laws allow it big companies to lower prices. While farmers can sell crops at higher prices if demand is there, they can conversely struggle to meet the minimum price in years when there is too much supply.
Why is this a political issue?
This is not the first time that major protests have upset India, the largest democracy in the world, but it presents Modi with a unique challenge.
Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been trying to win over farmers over the past few years with a number of policy proposals. In 2014, the BJP said that all harvest prices should be at a minimum of 50% higher than the production costs. And in 2016, Modi set a target to double farmers’ incomes by 2022.
The government insists that the new laws are a good thing, as increasing competition could increase farmers’ incomes. Modi says the new laws could also open up India’s agricultural industry to world markets and attract private investment.
“These reforms have not only captivated our farmers, but also given new rights and opportunities,” Modi said in November.
When did the protests begin?
The mass protests began shortly after the laws were passed in September.
In November, angry farmers drove tractors from across India to set up several blockades on the borders of New Delhi. Thousands marched from other nearby states to the city, where violence erupted quickly, with police firing tear gas and water cannons to stop them from entering the capital.
The protests continued throughout December, with supporters across the country taking part in labor and hunger strikes. Protests have swelled over more than 100,000 people on the outskirts of Delhi – although largely peaceful, there have been occasional violent training sessions with the police.
The government has been criticized for handling the protests, especially the violent clashes between farmers, their supporters and the police in Delhi 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 that they were “arrogant, intransigent and undemocratic in their response.”
At the camps on the border with Delhi, security forces kept watch from the outside – they did not try to clear the camp, probably because it would be politically unpopular.
According to Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body representing protesting farmers, at least 147 farmers were killed during the protests due to causes, including suicide, road accidents and exposure to cold weather. Authorities did not give an official figure on the deaths of protesters.
Is there any progress with negotiations?
Despite months of negotiation, government leaders have failed to reach any agreement or compromise with leaders from more than 30 farmers’ unions.
Officials proposed amendments to the three laws in December, including a proposal that state governments could impose fees on private businesses – but farmers rejected these revelations, claiming the government was “dishonest” in its efforts.
A few days later, the government announced that it was prepared to suspend the laws for another 12 to 18 months, while working with farmers’ unions to bring about a long-term compromise.
But protests continued, and some farmers promised not to leave until the laws are fully repealed.
Over the past week alone, farmers have blocked highways and held rallies in several states, with police detaining a number of protesters.