The Farmer's Protest in India have been going on since September 2020 against the three farm laws which were passed by the Parliament of India. Farmer unions and their representatives have demanded that the laws be repealed and have stated that they will not accept a compromise.
The farmers have also demanded the creation of a Minimum Support Price (MSP) bill, to ensure that corporates cannot control the prices. The government, however, maintains that the laws will make it effortless for farmers to sell their produce directly to big buyers, and stated that the protests are based on misinformation.
The farm laws widely privatise the agricultural market giving way for big agro-businesses to compete with the small farmers. The laws are alleged to be pro-corporate and could weaken government regulated 'mandis', also called Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs).
GALLERY
The Indian farmers' protest is a continuing demonstration against three farm acts passed by the Parliament of India in September 2020. According to Haryana Police, around 40,000 committed protesters sit at Singhu and Tikri at the Delhi border.
The stage where farmers assemble for the protest is teemed with loudspeakers and leaders announcing their demands from the government.
As one reaches the Farmers Protest at the Singhu border, they are welcomed by barricades and wires preventing passersby from entering the protest site. There are many security forces such as the police and military personnel at the border.
Protesters wait in line to get ration from the Khalsa Aid camp at Singhu Border.
Free food is being distributed to the protesters who gather at Singhu border. Meethi Ram (right) makes hundreds of flatbreads to feed the protesters at the site.
A man washing the clothes in the open while people bathe during the protests.
Clothes are washed and dried at the site.
There is also a field hospital that aids in giving out medicines and wound treatment to the protesters. Aftar Singh decided to open a field hospital at the Singhu border when he heard that many bonded laborers were getting injured. He also wanted to treat the protesters who would come to the dispensary in case of a medical emergency.
Amid the farmers' protest, a library-cum-cultural center was also set up at the Singhu border. Its mission is to provide books and newspapers to the youth and give school education to students from nearby slums.
Harvinder Singh Sindhu, a volleyball coach, left his job to attend the Farm Protests at Singhu border. His message to Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India is, "Beware, Modi: Sikh farmers are coming for you." He dons a badge of Subhash Chandra Bose, a freedom fighter who fought in India's independence struggle.
Mehak Preet Kaur, 11, has been sitting at the protest for a week with her family. She left her school for a while to join the protests. Even though in the Sikh religion girls do not wear turbans, Kaur dons one to show her solidarity for the farmer's movement.
Two men chant slogans of freedom from the government and demand the farm laws be repealed.
