India: Farmers to march in multiple cities across the country from March 2 and protest in New Delhi March 20

Event

Several farmers' organizations in India plan to march in multiple cities across the country and protest in New Delhi, March 2-20. Demonstrators are demanding a profitable Minimum Support Price on their produce. A protest march will start in Kanyakumari district (Tamil Nadu state) on March 2. Participants will march through 12 states for a rally and join a public meeting in the capital New Delhi March 20. The meeting will be held by the farmers’ umbrella organization Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) outside the parliament. The start times and amount of participants for these events are unclear.

The authorities are likely to increase surveillance and heighten security along the march route and protest site. Increased security and the presence of large numbers of people could lead to localized disruptions. Transport disruptions cannot be ruled out, as participants could use vehicles to block roads. Police may disperse crowds if gatherings become overly disruptive, possibly leading to clashes.

Advice

Avoid protests organized by farmers’ organizations. Plan for traffic congestion if operating in the area; allow additional travel time. Heed all official traffic and security advisories. Leave the area at the first sign of a confrontation.