By Shuriah Niazi
NEW DELHI (AA) – Farmers in India have started gathering outside the capital New Delhi on Monday to hold their planned rally against controversial farm laws on the country’s Republic Day.
India will celebrate the 72nd Republic Day on Tuesday with the main event to be organized in New Delhi.
However, farmers have planned a “tractor rally” on the day in order to press for their demands.
Three agriculture laws passed by the country’s parliament in September last year have sparked protests, with thousands of farmers camping at the borders around the capital New Delhi demanding their rollback.
Farmers driving their tractors reached the border between Delhi and the northern Uttar Pradesh state for the show of strength.
The farmers were granted a formal permission for the rally on Sunday.
Delhi Police Commissioner S N Srivastava has asked all officials to be prepared for an extended deployment of forces in view of the rally.
The rally will start after the end of Republic Day celebration in the city.
Three border points were designated for the rally.
Darshan Pal, a farmer leader, told Anadolu Agency: “Farmers tractor rally will enter the city from certain designated points. The whole program is going to be peaceful.”
Meanwhile, thousands of farmers from different districts of Maharashtra state have reached Mumbai to participate in a demonstration against farm laws.
In a statement, a farmers union said that around 15,000 farmers reached Mumbai to participate in the demonstration.
– Why are farmers protesting?
In September last year, the Indian government announced “three agricultural reforms” for farmers, which the farmers and experts believe will further exploit them and threaten the food security of the country.
According to the reforms, large companies are allowed to directly buy produce from farmers. In India, farmers usually sell their produce at local state-registered markets that ensure them a minimum support price, which protects them from price shocks in case of a bad crop year.
Farmers believe that in the absence of state regulators, big corporations will exploit them. The laws, put on hold by the court, also include the promotion of contract farming and lifting of the ban on the storage of potatoes, onions, and pulses.
In its attempts to address the matter, the Indian government has held several rounds of talks with the farming community but failed to find any amicable solution.
