Indian farmers lashed out at a recent ruling by the country’s Supreme Court, which we reported in the Trends Journal last week, that called for a temporary halt to the controversial farm bill signed into law by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The court called on experts to mediate between the farmers and Modi’s government to come up with a solution. The New York Times reported farmers in the country said these four experts, who were hand-picked by the court, have already expressed support of Modi’s farm law they say leaves small farm owners vulnerable to takeovers by larger companies.
“This is the government tactic to reduce pressure on itself,” Balbir Singh Rajewal, one of the leaders of a farmers’ union, told the paper. “All the committee members are pro-government. All our people who so far justified the government laws – they are writing articles to justify the government law. We have decided that our agitation will continue.”
Protests have broken out in New Delhi comprised of farmers who say Modi’s push for deregulations means the government could end up paying a minimum support price for their goods. Farmers have blocked roads and burned their crops in response to the legislation. These farmers believe the deregulation will lead to small farms becoming insolvent and eventually being taken over by larger rivals.
The Times reported the protests have continued for six weeks, and many farmers have braved the winter cold to express their contempt for the law they said was passed without their consultation. The Times reported that there is a “large tractor” demonstration set to take place in the heart of the capital by the end of the month.
TREND FORECAST: As economic conditions continue to decline in India as the “Greatest Depression” worsens, farmers’ and other demonstrations will continue to escalate in 2021.
India’s military/police forces will violently clamp down on protesters. The government will try to stop the protests, but with hundreds of millions of Indians losing everything and with nothing left to lose, they will not back down until the government meets some of their demands.
As Gerald Celente notes, “When all else fails, they take you to war.” Be it escalating skirmishes with neighboring Pakistan or China over ongoing border disputes or a wild-card event… the farmers’ protests will be instantly shut down should war break out.
