Overview

• Farmers from multiple Indian states are marching towards New Delhi to demand government action on guaranteed prices for their produce, debt waivers, and other agricultural reforms.
• Police in Haryana state fired tear gas and erected barricades to prevent protesters from reaching the capital, reviving memories of the 16-month-long agitation two years ago.
• The protests are led by over 200 farm unions, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, demanding legal guarantees for minimum support prices and compensation for farmers who died in previous protests.
• Negotiations between a government delegation and the protesting farmers have not yielded results, with police detaining some farmers and using drones to drop tear gas.
• The protests come months before a general election, with farmers forming an influential voting bloc and parties seeking their support amid accusations of anti-farmer policies by the current government.