LONDON (Bywire News) - Indian farmers have been engaging in countrywide protests against new laws which they say leave them open to exploitation. Tensions escalated as the strike reached New Delhi where protestors were met with police brutality.
The new government-approved laws mean that farmers can sell directly to private buyers, bypassing the government and allowing them to enter contracts with private companies, known as contract farming. Proponents of the law say this will be more efficient, but many farmers fear this will leave them open to exploitation.
India currently uses a system of mandi markets in which farmers auction off their produce at Agricultural Produce Market Committees. Here they are guaranteed a Minimum Support Price (MSP), almost like a minimum wage. Eliminating these committees forces farmers to sell to private companies, without the safety net of receiving a minimum fee.
Critics also argue that the new legislation enables traders to stockpile goods.
Farmers and critics argue that these new laws are pro-corporation and anti-farmer and will eventually result in more debt and unemployment.
More than 60% of India’s population depends on agriculture for a living. Even so, the industry’s economic clout continues to decline. Only 15% of the GDP being made up of agriculture.
Farmers from all over India, including Punjab and Haryana, marched towards the capital, where they camped at the borders to get their message across. Footage has surfaced on social media showing elderly protesters being sprayed with teargas and a water cannon.
Their demands are simple: that the government retracts the new agriculture laws. Indian farmers have demanded to keep the MSP, remove the fine for crop burning and more, but in simple terms, all they want is better representation from the government.
While the farmers continue to protest, march and occupy the city of Delhi, the Indian government has deployed riot police and parliamentary officers equipped with tear gas and water cannons.
The government, which has met with farmers twice without an agreement, promises that the current mandi system will continue as normal, and they will not withdraw the floor prices they currently offer. However, suspicions still increased amongst the farming community.
One farmer in an interview with BBC Punjabi said: “First, farmers will feel attracted towards these private players, who will offer a better price for the produce. The government mandis will pack up meanwhile and after a few years, these players will start exploiting the farmers. That's what we fear.”
Another round of talks is set for Wednesday 9th.
(Written by Klaudia Fior, Edited by Tom Cropper)