New Delhi: In protest against the G20 summit being hosted in New Delhi, farmers across multiple northern Indian states under the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh set ablaze effigies of the central government at over 250 locations in Punjab alone, with similar demonstrations unfolding in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
The convener of the committee, Sarwan Singh Pandher, voiced the farmers' collective opposition to the summit, asserting that G20 decisions typically detrimentally impact the underprivileged and middle-class segments of society.
Pandher further expressed concerns about the exploitation of India's labour force and natural resources through pro-corporate policies imposed by the international forum.
The symbolic effigy burnings took place in several Punjab districts, including Jalandhar, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Taran Taran, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Moga. Among the participating unions were the Bharti Kisan Union Ekta Azad, Azad Kisan Committee Doaba, Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari), and the Pagdi Sambhal Jatra Society.
The protesters announced plans to escalate their demonstrations from September 28 to September 30, announcing a rail blockade to press for their demands, which encompass flood relief, guaranteed minimum support prices for agricultural produce, and the waiver of farm loans.
They decried the hardships faced by the general public due to the G20 summit, citing cancelled trains and imposed restrictions. Accusing the Modi government of being pro-business, they argued that common citizens and farmers stood to gain little from the summit's proceedings.