NEW DELHI (INDIA) – Indian police and paramilitary have lined up security across main roads into New Delhi on Monday to stop protesting farmers making their entry to the capital as the finance minister prepared to deliver the government’s annual budget in parliament.
Internet and messaging services were stopped in several neighbourhoods on the outskirts where protests turned violent.
A senior official who didn’t wish to be named in line with official policy, said, “The government has increased security to avoid any clash or violence when parliament is in session. The idea is to keep everyone safe and avoid any escalation in tensions.”
Over the past few days, more farmers have come, along with their tractors to join at the three major protest sites near New Delhi.
Modi said in a radio address on Sunday, making his first public comments on last week’s violence, “The country was saddened by the insult to the Tricolor (Indian flag) on the 26th of January in Delhi.”
“The government is committed to modernizing agriculture and is also taking many steps in that direction.”
The farmers want the government to withdraw three new reforms, introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in September, which according to them will hurt their livelihoods and benefit large private produce buyers.
The government, however, says the reforms will open up new avenues for farmers and it has called upon farmer leaders for fresh talks to end the deadlock.