Meetings Without Agreement, That Means Indian Farmers' Demonstration Continues

Indian farmers protest against the Agriculture Bill (Source: Commons Wikimedia)

JAKARTA - The meeting between the government and farmer representatives to discuss the rejection of the Law (UU) on agricultural reform in India has failed to say an agreement. Farmers responded by saying they would continue to protest and block major highways in India.

"It's up to the government whether to solve the farmer's problem. We will not end our protest until our demands are met, ”said a farmer leader, Hannan Mollah, quoted by the Associated Press, Tuesday, January 5.

For this reason, the government has rescheduled a meeting with farmer representatives for the coming Friday. However, all Indian farmers still doubt the goodwill of the government. Because, from several meetings, both the government and the farmers have always failed to agree.

The farmers threatened to hold a massive demonstration on January 26 if again their demands regarding rejection of the agricultural reform law were not fulfilled. The action comes when India celebrates Republic Day.

At the heart of the dispute is a new law that the government says will overhaul the failed sector with agricultural deregulation and eliminate state intermediaries. However, Indian farmers believe that the changes will only benefit big companies. Therefore, the farmer's fate will be even more heartbreaking.

Previously, tens of thousands of farmers had blocked major highways in India for nearly 40 days. Indian farmers do not seem to have retreated one bit from their stance, despite the rain, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the life-threatening cold weather.