Indian farmers hold mass rally, keep pressure on Modi despite climbdown
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Sunday
February 05, 2023

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 05, 2023
Indian farmers hold mass rally, keep pressure on Modi despite climbdown

South Asia

Reuters
22 November, 2021, 05:25 pm
Last modified: 22 November, 2021, 05:31 pm

Related News

  • Oil’s New Map: How India turns Russia crude into the west's fuel
  • Indian watchdog tells investors markets stable despite Adani rout
  • US FDA says India-made eye drop linked to some infections, blindness and one death
  • Adani crisis not going to be indicative of how well Indian financial markets governed: Finance minister
  • Russia in favour of India becoming permanent member of UNSC: Envoy

Indian farmers hold mass rally, keep pressure on Modi despite climbdown

The protest movement launched by farmers more than a year ago became the most serious political challenge to the Hindu nationalist government, and resulted in Modi making a surprise commitment on Friday to roll back the reforms

Reuters
22 November, 2021, 05:25 pm
Last modified: 22 November, 2021, 05:31 pm
Farmers and protesters pull a blockade using tractor during a tractor rally to protest against farm laws on the occasion of India's Republic Day at Tikri border near New Delhi, India, January 26, 2021. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File Photo
Farmers and protesters pull a blockade using tractor during a tractor rally to protest against farm laws on the occasion of India's Republic Day at Tikri border near New Delhi, India, January 26, 2021. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File Photo

Flushed with victory after Prime Minister Narendra Modi caved into demands for agricultural reform laws to be repealed, Indian farmers held a mass rally on Monday to demand minimum support prices be extended to all produce, not just rice and wheat.

The protest movement launched by farmers more than a year ago became the most serious political challenge to the Hindu nationalist government, and resulted in Modi making a surprise commitment on Friday to roll back the reforms.

Thousands gathered for the latest rally in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, where Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party will seek to hold onto power in state elections due early next year.

Since late 2020, thousands of farmers have camped on the outskirts of New Delhi as part of a mass agitation to pressurise Modi into rolling back the reforms.

His climbdown sparked celebrations by farmers, but their leaders immediately warned that the protests would continue until the government promised to introduce a law that would guarantee minimum prices for all crops. 

Currently, the government mainly buys rice and wheat at Minimum Support Prices or guaranteed prices, but the safety net benefits barely 6% of India's millions of farmers.

In a letter addressed to Modi one Sunday, the main farmers' body said: "Minimum Support Price, based on the comprehensive cost of production, should be made a legal entitlement of all farmers (and) for all agricultural produce . . ."

Farmers also asked for the federal government to withdraw a draft electricity bill, that they fear would lead to state governments withdrawing their right to free or subsidised power, used mainly for irrigation.

The northern state of Punjab, part of India's grain belt, gives free electricity to the agriculture sector, while some states subsidise power to farmers.

Growers have also asked the government to drop fines and other penalties for burning their fields after harvesting to remove stalk and chaff. The smoke has become a major source of air pollution in Delhi and satellite towns bordering the crop growing northern states.

Top News / World+Biz

India / India farmers protest / India agriculture law

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • GDP growth declines to 7.1% in FY22, per capita income $2,793
    GDP growth declines to 7.1% in FY22, per capita income $2,793
  • Oil’s New Map: How India turns Russia crude into the west's fuel
    Oil’s New Map: How India turns Russia crude into the west's fuel
  • Photo: Collected
    Adani’s power to come to Bangladesh in first week of March: Nasrul Hamid

MOST VIEWED

  • Picture: Collected
    IMF combing 'every book, every subsidy' during negotiations: Pak PM
  • Photo: Reuters
    Pakistan's largest oil refinery shuts down
  • Photo: Collected
    Pervez Musharraf: The Pakistani ex-president’s chequered legacy
  •  Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf arrives to meet Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Downing Street in London January 28, 2008. REUTERS/Stephen Hird
    Reaction to death of former Pakistan President Musharraf
  • Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf meets journalists after attending the CLSA Investors Forum in Hong Kong in this September 15, 2010 file photo/ Reuters
    Musharraf: Who came closest to Kashmir solution but also triggered Kargil war
  • Pakistan's former President, Pervez Musharraf, addresses his supporters after his arrival from Dubai at Jinnah International airport in Karachi March 24, 2013. Musharraf returned home on Sunday after nearly four years of self-imposed exile to contest elections despite the possibility of arrest and a threat from the Taliban to kill him. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
    Pakistan's Musharraf, military ruler who allied with the US and promoted moderate Islam

Related News

  • Oil’s New Map: How India turns Russia crude into the west's fuel
  • Indian watchdog tells investors markets stable despite Adani rout
  • US FDA says India-made eye drop linked to some infections, blindness and one death
  • Adani crisis not going to be indicative of how well Indian financial markets governed: Finance minister
  • Russia in favour of India becoming permanent member of UNSC: Envoy

Features

Say it with Colours

Say it with Colours

10h | Mode
Photo: Courtesy

From 'Made in Bangladesh' to 'Designed in Bangladesh'

12h | Panorama
Google must adjust to a world where content is increasingly generated by AI. Photo: Bloomberg

Google will join the AI wars, pitting LaMDA against ChatGPT

8h | Panorama
The megaproject Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has a debt of Tk90,474 crore. Photo: Courtesy

Projects funded with debt need to be selected prudently, and implemented timely

10h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

ICB to withdraw Padma Bank Investment as return

ICB to withdraw Padma Bank Investment as return

2h | TBS Insight
Kiara Advani & Sidharth Malhotra's Wedding Update

Kiara Advani & Sidharth Malhotra's Wedding Update

2h | TBS Entertainment
What you probably didn't know about CR7

What you probably didn't know about CR7

Now | TBS SPORTS
US shoots down Chinese spy balloon

US shoots down Chinese spy balloon

1h | TBS World

Most Read

1
Leepu realised his love for cars from a young age and for the last 40 years, he has transformed, designed and customised hundreds of cars. Photo: Collected
Panorama

'I am not crazy about cars anymore': Nizamuddin Awlia Leepu

2
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) logo is seen outside the headquarters building in Washington, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo
Economy

IMF approves $4.7 billion loan for Bangladesh, calls for ambitious reforms

3
Fund cut as Dhaka's fast-track transit projects on slow spending lane
Infrastructure

Fund cut as Dhaka's fast-track transit projects on slow spending lane

4
Photo: Collected
Court

Japanese mother gets guardianship of daughters, free to leave country

5
Belal Ahmed new acting chairman of SIBL
Banking

Belal Ahmed new acting chairman of SIBL

6
Photo: Collected
Startups

ShopUp secures $30m debt financing to boost expansion, supply chain

EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2023
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net