The new agricultural laws passed by India’s parliament in September is a major concern for the farmers who say the laws have given big corporations an edge.
Thousands of Farmers in India are protesting over a set of new farm laws they say will undercut their output and only benefit private players in the Agricultural sector.
The Indian farmers blocked major highways and refused to move to a government designated venue. Thousands protesting near the capital, New Delhi, say they are open to talks as long as there are no pre-conditions.
The protest which has entered its fifth day is causing traffic disruptions in the city with farmers calling for a meeting to discuss the way forward later.
The farmers, who had reached Nirankarai Samagam Ground in Burari earlier on Saturday say the new laws will hurt crop prices and their livelihoods.
Latest reports say that number of protesters at Singhu border crossing between Haryana and Delhi is increasing on a daily basis.
Taking to Twitter, the Delhi Traffic Police alerted commuters to take an alternate route since Singhu and Tikri borders continued to remain closed while estimating that there are around 20,000 people in the location and even more between those two states.
Protesting farmers have blocked another key highway coming into Delhi while only a few hundreds of farmers have actually moved to the government designated area for protests and that is because most farmers have referred to the area as an ‘Open jail’.
Despite the government saying that they are open to immediate talks with the farmers about these laws, the farmers are adamant and insist they would continue to block these highways to create more disruption as possible until the government show seriousness in negotiating with them.
The farmers rejecting the government offer for a conditional dialogue have asked the government to repeal the agricultural laws.
The new agricultural laws passed by India’s parliament in September is a major concern for the farmers who says the laws have given big corporations an edge.
The government on its part has said that private players will bring the much-needed revamp the country’s stagnated agricultural sector has experienced for decades.
Indian government dismisses fears of exploitation
Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has said, true to his promise made in 2014 to double farm produce in 2020, the new agricultural laws have been introduced to benefit the farmers while dismissing their fears of exploitation.
Modi who said the fears of the farmers is misplaced and that the opposition is using the rumours as a basis to mislead farmers spoke in defence of the agricultural reforms in a radio broadcast.
In the radio broadcast, Modi said “These reforms have not only broken shackles of farmers but have also given new rights and opportunities for them”.
“New farm laws have been brought for effective implementation as promises made to farmers” he said.
Despite the defense, the protesting farmers are not conceding to the demands of government for talks as well as explanations for the agricultural laws with the continuous barricades.
