Verum was staring intently at her crystal ball with a strained expression. It was as if she was trying to solve some complicated puzzle. Inquisitive Scorch naturally asked her friend about it.

She said, “What are you looking at so attentively, Verum?”

Verum looked up and fixed her beautiful large eyes on her friend’s face. She said, “I have been trying to trace the farmer protests in India. It’s so hard to keep up because there’s always some new development. It confuses me. Like the tractor rally that got violent on 26th January!”

“Oh, yeah. I never quite understood what happened. Maybe you could explain it to me, Verum,” suggested Scorch.

“Okay, where do I begin?” mused Verum tapping her chin. “You know how the farmers from India, particularly from the agrarian state of Punjab, have been protesting against the Farm Bills for months now? These bills are claimed to benefit the corporate and not safeguard the farmers’ interests.”

Scorch nodded and said, “The farmer leaders and the government held a series of talks but they didn’t lead to any solution.”

Verum continued, “On 26th January 2021, they decided to hold a tractor rally in the capital, Delhi. The day was super important as it was Republic Day, one of India’s two national holidays. But unfortunately, a few protestors took a more aggressive different route than the one agreed upon.

“Oh no, did the protests get violent?” said Scorch.

“Yes, unfortunately, the months-long peaceful protests turned violent. But the main farmers’ unions disowned the miscreants who did this. Do you know the farmers’ protests are the biggest protests in the world ever?” said Verum.

“Did they fall apart,” asked Scorch.

“No, on the contrary, a farmer leader from the neighboring state of Uttar Pradesh gave an impassioned speech. After this, many farmers from Uttar Pradesh joined the protest. This gave the protests a new lease of life,” replied Verum.

“So, what happened next?” said forever inquisitive Scorch.

“The farmers have begun fasting in protest of the Farm Bills. As for the government, they are taking measures to prevent further violence.

“What’s going to happen now?” asked Scorch.

“The government of India and the farmers union will hopefully reach an agreement soon. My crystal ball will alert me as soon as that happens,” said Verum.