Even as the protests by farmers entered their 87th day on Monday, a string of events have been announced by agricultural unions to mark the protests and intensify the stir against farm laws introduced by the Modi government.
The protests on 23 February will be marked by a "Pagadi Sambhal Diwas" (Care For Turbans) when all farmers will don their regional turbans, which signifies respect and reverence. The event is meant to protest the measures taken against the farmers by the government, said Darshan Pal, a farmer leader from Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the organisation spearheading the movement.
Farmers will submit a memorandum to the Indian president on 24 February to observe a "Daman Virodhi Diwas". Memoranda will be submitted from across the country through district headquarters to protest against the government's stance on the farmers' movement.
The 26th of February will be observed as "Yuva Kissan Diwas" (Youth Farmers Day). Young farmers will take the stage and address rallies and gatherings.
On 27 February, "Kisan Mazdoor Ekta Diwas", (Farm Labourer Unity Day) will be observed. "We are appealing to more and more people to join the protests and strengthen the movement against the new farm laws which will destroy marginal and small farmers if implemented", Darshan Pal told Sputnik.
More plans to intensify and sustain the demonstrations over the summer months will be announced on 28 February.
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed BJP cadres and functionaries to "expose the false propaganda" by opposition parties and asked them to reach out to farmers on the three laws and educate them about their benefits in a 15-day campaign.
Since the passage of the laws last September, farmers and the government have held several rounds of meetings, but failed to find a resolution. The farmers consider these laws the first steps in deregulating the agricultural sector and feel they were made to benefit large corporations at their expense. Around 55 percent of India's 1.3 billion people are dependent on this sector, with the latter making up 16 percent of GDP.
