India’s farmers double down in ‘fight for next generation’ even as police allegedly fire pellet guns on protesters

“This is the first time we are experiencing pellets being fired at us. So, I had no idea what had hit me,” Ghrama, who took seven hits, said while on a makeshift bed next to his tractor-trolley with friends.

Thousands of angry farmers last Tuesday began the “Delhi Chalo” protest, marching on the capital to hold the Indian government accountable for unfulfilled promises, including a law to guarantee minimum support prices (MSP) for 23 crops.

But the march stalled at the Punjab-Haryana border, where a heavy contingent of police used tear gas, rubber bullets and what protesters said were pellet guns.

Haryana’s director general of police Shatrujeet Kapur has denied the use of pellet guns against farmers, saying police had followed procedure and “only used tear gas, water cannons and lastly rubber bullets”.

Ghrama remained adamant on the protest despite his injury. “This is a fight for our next generation. I don’t mind sacrificing my life for the welfare of my child. We will break all barriers and march all the way to Delhi,” the father of one said.

Human rights groups from Punjab have written to the Supreme Court’s chief justice, urging India’s top court to stop the use of pellet guns against farmers.

Balwinder Singh Chabhal, chairman of rights group Khalra Mission Organisation, said it was inhumane for the police to use pellet guns against peaceful protesters.

“There is no justification for using such lethal weapons against farmers, many of whom are elderly. That’s why we have written to the chief justice to ban the pellet gun,” Chabhal said.

There are between 90 million to 150 million farmers in India, according to a report by the National Statistical Office for 2018-2019.

On Monday, the fourth round of talks with the central