Criticism of the Indian government’s handling of farmers’ protests, which have lasted for weeks, grew on Thursday, with the US publicly backing the protests and opposition lawmakers expressing shock at the way the protesters have been treated.
Tens of thousands of farmers, largely from Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh states, have been living for more than two months on highways at the borders of New Delhi, after they were stopped from entering in November to protest a set of new farm laws.
Their protest has been largely peaceful. However, a group resorted to violence and vandalism after breaking through barricades and entering the capital on January 26, India’s Republic Day.
Farmers leaders condemned the violence, but did not call off the protest.
Local authorities have since then fortified barricades with concertina wire and dug trenches on roads leading to major protest sites. They also disconnected electricity supplies and suspended internet services, according to farmers’ unions.
A group of opposition lawmakers were stopped at the multilayer metal and cement barricades leading to the protest site at the Ghazipur border on Thursday.
“God forbid someone is ill or there is a fire, no ambulance or fire tender can reach inside, there is no electricity, how will they use their phones … these are our own people,” Harsimrat Kaur, a lawmaker from Punjab’s Akali Dal party and a former minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government told reporters.
“Even the border with Pakistan does not have such fortifications,” Kaur said.
In India’s capital, farmers’ violent protest spurs heavy security
The Modi government says the new farm laws, which ease rules regarding storage, marketing and sale of produce, would modernise and energise the farming sector on which more than 50 per cent of India’s population depends for a living.
The protesting farmers say the laws will leave them vulnerable to big corporations and the vagaries of the free market and demand that they are repealed.
The government and farmers’ leaders have conducted several rounds of talks, but have not been able to achieve a breakthrough.
The US embassy in New Delhi issued a statement saying the United States welcomed steps that would improve the efficiency of India's markets and attract greater private sector investment.
But it added that peaceful protests were the hallmark of any thriving democracy and unhindered access to information, including the internet, was fundamental to the freedom of expression.
“We encourage that any differences between the parties be resolved through dialogue,” the statement said.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, responding to the US statement, said curtailing internet access in certain parts of the national capital region had been undertaken to prevent further violence after the January 26 incidents.
Twitter blocks accounts at India’s request amid farmer protests
“The incidents of violence and vandalism at the historic Red Fort on January 26 have evoked similar sentiments and reactions in India as did the incidents on Capitol Hill on January 6 and are being addressed as per local laws.”
The protests should be seen in the context of the Indian polity and ongoing efforts to resolve the impasse, Srivastava said.
The Indian government had earlier slammed tweets by celebrities about the farmers’ demand, saying they were ill-informed. Pop star Rihanna and environment activist Greta Thunberg were among those who posted on Twitter in support of the farmers.
The Delhi Police said they had registered a case against unknown people for uploading on social media a toolkit prepared by an extremist organisation on how to support the protests.
The charges including promoting disaffection against the government and disharmony between communities on social and religious grounds.
Thunberg was among users on Twitter who had shared the toolkit that had several resources to mobilise people against the new farm laws. She deleted the tweet on Wednesday, but later followed it up with another.
“Here’s an updated toolkit by people on the ground in India if you want to help,” Thunberg posted on Thursday.
In a separate post, she said: “I still #StandWithFarmers and support their peaceful protest. No amount of hate, threats or violations of human rights will ever change that.”
