Brazil's President Jair Messias Bolsonaro will witness the Republic Day Parade 2020 on the Rajpath in New Delhi as chief guest. This will be the third time that a Brazilian president will grace the Republic Day Parade. Previous instances were in 1996 and 2004.

Bolsonaro's coming to India as Republic Day chief guest has evoked controversy with many activists questioning the invitation to him for the event by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders held talks last year on the sidelines of big-ticket events such as G-20 and Brics summits.

India-Brazil bilateral trade stands at $7.57 billion (2018). The two countries aim to increase it to $25 billion in next three-four years. While the government sees it as greater economic cooperation between India and Brazil, opposition to this collaboration is largely based on two counts -- sugarcane farming and Bolsonaro's controversial personality.

Brazil is a major competitor of Indian in global sugar market. It is a major sugarcane producer. With sugarcane farmers feeling the pinch of agrarian distress in India in recent years, Brazil has been seen upping ante against the support measures taken by the Indian government.

In 2019, Brazil led a sustained campaign against India at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) claiming India was extending support to sugarcane farmers beyond the permissible limits under the WTO regulations.

The farmers in sugar-producing states and Left-linked associations have led campaign against the visit of Bolsonaro. The farmers argue that invitation to Bolsonaro is an insult to them as the Brazilian president wants the WTO to take measures that would threaten their livelihood.

But bigger objection to Bolsonaro's visit has been on account of his personal views. A retired military man, Bolsonaro is a leader with known shades of misogyny and homophobia, and for targeting indigenous people.

Bolsonro had hit international headlines in 2014 for his sexist remark made in Brazil's parliament during a debate. Bolsonaro had told Brazil's opposition's Maria do Rosario, "I wouldn't rape you because you're not worthy of it."

He refused to apologise despite criticism from all quarters. Later, Bolsonaro not only repeated his comment against Mria do Rosario but also added that he would not rape her because she was "ugly".

On another occasion, Bolsonaro's misogyny did not spare his own children. Delivering a speech in 2017, Bolsonaro described how he got five children. He said, "I have five children. Four are men, and then in a moment of weakness the fifth came out a girl."

Bolsonaro is also known for his homophobic views. Way back in 2002, when the then Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso batted for gay rights including marriage, Bolsonaro had been quoted as saying, "I won’t fight against it nor discriminate. But if I see two men kissing each other on the street, I’ll beat them up."

In 2015, Bolsonaro courted another controversy in the middle of an international refugee crisis. He called the refugees as "scums of the earth".

Bolsonaro won the Brazilian national election in December 2018 with a thumping majority and assumed power in January 2019 ousting the leftist government. His rightist ideology is another reason for protest by some activists over him being the chief guest at the Republic Day Parade 2020.