Shambhu Border, India – Thousands of farmers have gathered on the outskirts of the Indian capital New Delhi to leave requirements for guaranteed minimum prices for their crops, debt relief and political reforms.

The protests are led by more than 250 farmer unions, including the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (a platform representing more than 150 unions) and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), supported by more than 100 unions. With participants traveling from states as far away as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the protests are coordinated from Punjab and receive support that extends beyond state borders.

From Tuesday this week, farmers will march towards New Delhi with their tractors and trucks in tow. To stop the march, Indian authorities have set up barriers, nails and other heavy machinery along highways leading to the capital. When protesters attempted to dismantle barricades in Shambhu village on the Punjab-Haryana border, Haryana Police responded by firing tear gas to disperse the barricades. Haryana borders New Delhi and is ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

These protests are a continuation Demonstrations in and on the outskirts of New Delhi, which took place two years ago. They lasted more than a year, during which more than 600 people were killed in violent crackdowns by authorities. After the government agreed to repeal three agrarian reform laws that farmers objected to, the protests were called off. However, other demands they made were not met – and these problems have flared up again.

The protest centers on demands for a strong minimum support price (MSP) system to protect farmers from market fluctuations. The demonstrators are also demanding debt relief and restrictions on the privatization of the energy industry. “The last time I was here was for the entire duration. We are here again because the promises made, for example the MSP, have not been kept. When they formed the government, they promised to waive the loans, but that didn’t happen. They promised to ensure justice in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident [when protesting farmers were rammed by a car and killed in October 2021]Sukvindra Kaur, 55, from Bathinda, Punjab, told Aljazeera.

“We were forced to take to the streets again over the same demands,” she added. “The promises of the present government must be fulfilled by them, and if there is a new government tomorrow, why should they fulfill our demands?” We never wanted to do it, but the farmers are committing suicide; They have huge loans. We are here to save her.”

Another farmer, Dharam Singh Sidhu, 60, vice-president of Kissan Sangash Samiti for Ferozepur, Punjab, described the tear gas attacks on farmers and firing of rubber bullets at the protesters as “undemocratic”.

“In democracy, everyone has the right to protest peacefully, but even though they are moving peacefully, they are barricading us, shelling us and opening fire on us.” No farmer is participating in any illegal activities. We are protesting peacefully,” Sidhu said.

The timing of the protest ahead of upcoming elections in the next few months underscores the political significance of desperation among farmers, who form a sizeable voting bloc in the country.