Social media posts from figures including Rihanna and poet Rupi Kaur have commanded the world to once again pay attention to the farmers’ protest in India. While the protests started as early as July 2020, the situation has escalated in the past week with confusing, conflicting news of violence, journalist arrests, Twitter blocks and at least one death.
Read on for the basics you need to know about the story as it continues to unfold – and how you can help.
What are the protests about?
India’s farming industry accounts for almost half of the country’s workforce, but only 16% of its GDP. So last year the Government, under controversial Prime Minister Narendra Modi, introduced new agriculture laws to bring the sector more in line with the free market. It would allow farmers to sell to private businesses directly at their own negotiated rates.
Currently all produce is traded via government-controlled wholesale markets (mandis) with guaranteed minimum prices. While the mandis will still exist for now, farmers fear that will only be temporary. Under the new system, farmers worry big corporate buyers like supermarket chains will have too much power to drive down the price of produce, ruining the farmers livelihoods.
why aren’t we talking about this?! #FarmersProtest https://t.co/obmIlXhK9S
— Rihanna (@rihanna) February 2, 2021
There’s no simple answer as to whether these laws are “good” or “bad” – farmers still need protection, but modernising the industry could be good for India’s economy. The issue is how the laws were handled – rushed in, with little to no consultation, leaving the farming industry blindsided.
To pressure the Government to repeal the laws, the farmers began an overwhelmingly peaceful protest. They took cues from Mahatma Gandhi’s salt worker protest for Indian independence in 1930, marching en masse to the capital in Dehli in November. But police met the world’s largest peaceful protest with water cannons, tear gas and barricades.
Continued aggressive tactics by the police, Government and authorities escalated the situation to breaking point on Republic Day on January 26.
Is the Indian Government blocking internet access?
Yes. The Government blocked Internet service at three of the biggest protest sites. Prime Minister Modi and his Government is known for doing to suppress criticism, unrest and to maintain ‘order’. The Software Freedom Law Centre of India reports that Modi shut off Internet access 83 times in 2020 and seven times already in 2021.
India Today also reported that the Government issued a legal notice to Twitter, asking it to block 250 accounts and tweets spreading awareness about the protests. Twitter then reversed the decision a few hours later.
Are journalists being arrested?
So far one journalist, Mandeep Puvia, who was freelancing for The Caravan, was arrested and detained on Feb 2 while working at one of the protest sites. He was charged with obstructing police operations and assaulting an officer, and initially sent to jail for 14 days (though he has now been released). It is not yet clear what happened.
Nine other journalists have also been charged by the Government over their coverage of one incident in the Republic Day protest.
The incident: Farmers were using their tractors to push through barriers and storm the city centre, including a young farmer Navreet Singh whose tractor overturned. Police say he died due to injuries from the accident; but protestors and Singh’s family claim police shot him in the head, killing him and causing the tractor to crash after he died.
Each journalist had either produced coverage or tweeted about the family’s allegations that Singh was killed by gunshot. The Government is charging them with sedition – spreading misinformation to deliberately inflame tensions and instigate riots. Opposition politician Shashi Tharoor is facing the same charges over the same incident.
There are conflicting reports about whether or not Singh was shot.
Related Posts
Where is this clash heading?
The farmers want a guarantee their wholesale prices will be protected; the Government says this will inhibit India’s economic growth. Negotiations will be the only way to de-escalate what has become an increasingly volatile and deadly situation.
How can you help?
Providing international help to the farmers’ protest in India is tricky, as this is not necessarily a humanitarian aid issue like the crisis in Yemen. This is an issue between the Modi Government and its own citizens, with successful negotiation the only real way to end the conflict.
If you want to donate, consider Save Indian Farmers – a non-profit working to reduce the high rates of suicide among Indian farmers.
Other than that, the safest, most accessible thing to do right now is signal boost content about the protests by sharing it online to show the Indian Government there is international pressure to achieve a resolution.
Do you find the Zee Feed news explainers on global issue helpful? You can support our work by buying our book How to Win Every Argument. Grab a copy for less than $10!