The farmers' stir in a Rajasthan district over irrigation water threatens to snowball into an embarrassing crisis for the Vasundhara Raje government with even ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers joining the protest.
For the last five days, thousands of farmers in Sriganganagar district have been defying prohibitory orders to stage a sit in outside the offices of the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) in Gharsana and Anoopgarh towns.
Unfortunately for Raje, the BJP in the region has been actively leading the agitation. Its affiliate, the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) has also announced its participation.
"Forget about party lines. Irrigation water is a matter of life and death for the farmers here so we will support the agitation," said a BKS leader.
The farmers say they will not lift the siege until the state government enters into a written agreement with them over more water for irrigation from the Indira Gandhi canal.
The district administration in Sriganganagar has deputed extra police and paramilitary forces to maintain peace in the area.
The farmers' movement in the district bordering Pakistan has been going on since Aug 31. It took a violent turn on Oct 27 when police opened fire on the demonstrators, killing four farmers.
--Indo-Asian News Service