Indian PM's Visit Controversy To Sikh Temples Amid Agricultural Reform Protests

Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi at the Sikh Temple (Twitter / Narendramodi)

JAKARTA - Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi paid an unexpected visit to the Sikh Temple in New Delhi. His visit this time attracted more attention, as he came at a time when the Sikh Community was leading massive protests against agricultural reform.

"I feel very blessed," Modi said via his Twitter account while on a visit.

As quoted by Reuters, Monday, December 21, the visit sparked pros and cons on social media. His partymates welcomed Modi's visit to the temple like an ordinary person. Others urged modi to end the agricultural reform protests, during which tens of thousands of farmers staged massive protests in India.

"Requests to @narendramodi please visit the site #FarmersProtests as well where #Farmers are protesting peacefully," wrote one Twitter user.

Previously, the Sikh religious community in India and abroad had opposed agricultural reform. They worry that agricultural reform will erode farm incomes. This is because the government gives full rights to private companies to determine market prices.

For that, the farmers took to the streets. Especially, the peasants from Punjab who are dominated by the Sikh and Haryana religious communities. They have blocked the highway to New Delhi for the past three weeks. All of this was done so that the government would immediately revoke agricultural reform.

For this action, on Wednesday, a 65-year-old Sikh priest committed suicide at one of the protest sites. Afterward, the farmers called for a 24-hour rotating hunger strike.