NEW DELHI: Farm organisations across India have called for a nationwide strike today (Tuesday) as the protests against reforms deregulating the agriculture sector, upping the stakes after 10 days blockading the capital.
According to details, railway tracks and highways were blocked across India, delaying hordes of people getting to work, and preventing perishable produce from reaching markets.
Tens of thousands of farmers have set up barricades on roads into New Delhi since November 26, vowing not to move until the laws are repealed in one of the biggest challenges to the Hindu nationalist government since it was re-elected in a landslide in 2019.
“We will not allow the government to change the rules because they want to hurt farmers’ income by filling the pockets of big companies,” said Gurwinder Singh, a 66-year-old farmer from Punjab.
Another farmer told an international news agency, “We are worried, extremely worried. Our children will starve, what could be a bigger worry than this,” echoing fears of his peers that large corporations would lower prices and destroy their livelihoods.
Meanwhile, the concerned authorities put on extra police in Delhi and boosted security in the rest of the country in a bid to head off any trouble. The farmers were supported in their call for action by railway workers, truck drivers, teachers and other unions.
The blockade and strike have taken on a political dimension with the national ruling Bharatiya Janata Party accusing opposition parties of opportunism by rejecting measures they had called for when in power.
Earlier, five rounds of talks have failed to narrow differences between farmers and ministers. More talks between the government and farmer organisations are due on Wednesday. The blockade has already caused fruit and vegetable prices in Delhi to rise over restricted supplies.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that reforms were needed for development. “We cannot build the next century with the laws of the previous century,” he added, in remarks seen as alluding to the protests.
