Protests against the new agricultural bill continue among Indian farmers. According to Reuters, on January 30, local time, protesting farmers went on a one-day hunger strike in the suburbs around New Delhi, and the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs cut off network services in many areas around the capital.
Indian Prime Minister Modi said on January 31 that the protesters who attacked Red Castle in New Delhi had caused “insults” to India.
According to the report, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs said on January 30 that the network services at three sites where protests occurred in the suburbs of New Delhi had been suspended until 23:00 local time on January 31 to “maintain public safety”.
Reuters said that the Indian government often cut off Internet services at places where they thought there would be riots, but this move in the capital is still unusual.
Indian farmers protested against the continuation of the new agricultural law for several months, and the peaceful demonstrations turned violent in recent days. Modi broke his silence and called the demonstrators’ actions on National Day (Republic Day) an “an insult to the country”, which was also shocked and sad.
Modi said in his radio address on the day, according to the Indian Express on January 31, “On January 26, the Indian flag was insulted in New Delhi, and the whole country was saddened.” He stressed that the government is committed to promoting the modernization of agriculture, while implementing many policies in this direction.
According to the reporter of Global Times, 11 rounds of negotiations have been held between the Indian government and protesting farmers so far, but due to the firm attitude of both sides, no constructive consensus has been reached so far.
According to the Times of India, Prime Minister Modi presided over an all-party meeting on January 30, promising that the previous government’s proposal to suspend the implementation of the three new agricultural bills for 18 months is still valid, stressing that the government will continue to solve the problem in an “open attitude”.
However, many protesting peasant leaders did not buy it, asked the government “why not repeal the bill altogether”, criticized the government for its actions such as disconnection of the Internet, and called on farmers to maintain a “peaceful way of protest”.
The website of India Today reported on January 31 that protesting against farmers held a hunger strike on January 30 on the anniversary of the death of Mahatma Gandhi, and farmers in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, Bihar and other places also expressed their solidarity on that day.
According to the report, a new round of negotiations between the government and protesting farmers may be held on February 2, but Punjab farmers are driving more than 700 caravans and tractors to New Delhi on January 31 to join the protest demonstration, and the future situation remains uncertain.
