India’s Farmer Protests Challenge Modi’s Market Deregulations
Article summary
NEW DELHI—Angry Indian farmers protested in and around the capital over the weekend, worried that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to deregulate agricultural markets will leave them without a safety net. Farmers from northern India used tractors and motorcycles to block highways on the fringes of New Delhi, creating traffic jams and forcing people to drive around the protest. Authorities have offered to create a place for the protesters to demonstrate that won’t lead to gridlock, but they have declined. On Sunday, farmers’ groups also turned down the government’s proposal for a discussion of their grievances, saying they will continue to protest until the government rolls back the overhauls. The protesters—who have faced tear gas and water cannons—say they have enough supplies to continue demonstrating for up to six months.
