The article will be updated when Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets the farmers who have been protesting for 16 days against the centre’s contentious farm laws.
While you’re here, let’s take you through the details of the farmers’ protests.
The ongoing protest of the farmers against the three new agriculture laws entered the 16th day today. From barbed wires, water cannons to barricades and extreme cold, agitated farmers have braved all hindrances and are still demanding the withdrawal of the contentious laws.
Even as the agitation continues to intensify, it had come to fore that at least 15 farmers have died since November 26 due to various reasons while protesting against the laws. Despite the untimely deaths, the government has not reacted to the concerns of the farmers.
10 Protesting Farmers have lost their Lives Until Now !1.Baljinder Singh2. Dhanna Singh 3.Janak Raj4. Gajjan Singh 5. Gurjant 6. Ajay 7.Gurmail Kaur8.Kitab singh 9.lakhbir Singh 10.Gurubhash SinghDoes it not stir PM Modi’s heart?#FarmersProtestDelhi2020
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 9, 2020
From Bollywood actors, singers to award-winning sportspersons, many have come out in support of the farmers and asked the centre to deliver justice.
Why Are Farmers Protesting?
Farmers from six states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Kerala and Punjab are protesting in and around the national capital against the centre’s ‘historic reforms’.
The call to march, initially given by the All Indian Kisan Sangarsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC)- a body of nearly 200 farmers’ organisations across India has received support from nearly 500 farmers’ bodies.
Three bills – Farmers’ and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 – were passed in September.
The centre claims that the new farm laws will improve farmers’ income by allowing them to sell produce anywhere in the country.
The contentious bills which farmers say are ‘anti-farmer’, aim to provide a barrier-free trade for farmers’ produce outside notified farm mandis and to empower farmers into farming agreements with private players prior to production for sale of agri-produce.
However, the farmers claim that the laws could lead to the government stopping the system of buying grain at minimum support price (MSP) and leave them at the mercy of big corporates.
While the protests have made it to the international headlines, they are yet to receive a reaction from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Also Read: Barbed Wires, Barricades, Delhi Fortified As Farmers’ Protest Intensifies: All You Need To Know
