NEW DELHI (AP) – Indian farmers who participated in more than two months of protest against new agricultural laws began a day-long hunger strike on Saturday as they tried to reaffirm the peaceful nature of their movement after recent violent clashes with police.
According to peasant leaders, the hunger strike coincided with the death anniversary of Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, who was famous for his nonviolent resistance to colonial rule. Nonetheless, the protesters said they remained furious with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government.
“The way the government is spreading planned lies and violence is reprehensible,” said a statement by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, or United Farmers ‘Front, a coalition of farmers’ unions.
Tens of thousands of farmers have been camping on the outskirts of New Delhi since November, seeking the repeal of laws passed in September that they say favor large farms and businesses, devastating many farmers’ incomes and leaving those with small plots of land.
Modi and his allies say the laws are necessary to modernize Indian agriculture. Multiple rounds of talks between the two parties were unsuccessful.
The protests had been largely peaceful, but violence broke out on Tuesday, Republic Day in India, when tens of thousands of farmers riding tractors and marching on foot broke down police barricades and stormed New Delhi’s 17th-century Red Fort in a short but shocking takeover.
One protester was killed in the clashes and nearly 400 police officers were injured. Officials did not say how many farmers were injured, but many were seen bloodied after police in riot gear fired them with batons and tear gas.
Tensions have remained high ever since, with sporadic clashes between protesters, police and unidentified groups shouting slogans at farmers. On Friday, despite heavy security, a group of about 200 people raided a protest area, threw stones at farmers and damaged their tents.
The group demanded that farmers leave the area, saying they had “insulted” the national flag during their tractor parade on Republic Day. The peasants claimed that the vandals were largely members of a Hindu nationalist group closely associated with Modi’s party.
On Saturday, authorities blocked mobile Internet services at three protest locations, a favorite tactic of Modi’s government to thwart protests. India’s Interior Ministry said internet services would be suspended until Sunday to “maintain public security.”
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said the government was “in an illusion if it thinks our movement will be weakened” by suspending the Internet.
“The more they try to crush the farmers’ voice, the bigger this movement will get,” Tikait tweeted.
The protests have been the biggest challenge for Modi since taking office in 2014, in part because farmers are the most influential voting bloc in the country and an important part of the economy. In a rare show of unity, 16 opposition parties are boycotting a parliamentary speech by ceremonial president Ram Nath Kovind, who is from Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party.
Both sides seemed to become more entrenched.
Rather than trying to lower the temperature after Tuesday’s clashes, the government has filed cases against journalists, activists and opposition politicians, accusing them of sedition and incitement to violence.
The farmers, meanwhile, have seen their ranks grow with thousands of new protesters since a video of Tikait bursting into tears while talking to reporters was shared widely on social media on Thursday.
“Our movement has gained momentum after the Republic Day meeting. We have decided not to go back, ”said Sukhdev Singh, another farmer’s leader who took part in Saturday’s hunger strike. “If we die, we’ll die here.”
___ Associated Press video journalist Shonal Ganguly contributed to this report.