NEW DELHI - Several thousand farmers trooped into Delhi on Friday to demand a repeal of new laws liberalising procurement of agricultural produce that they claim renders them vulnerable to private companies.
Dramatic visuals on social media showed farmers dislodging road barricades set up using shipping containers, sand-laden trucks, cement barriers as well as barbed wires. Even trenches were dug by the authorities in Haryana to prevent the protesters descending on the capital. Many of them were on tractors and trolleys, including some carrying essential supplies for their comrades.
At least one farmer from Punjab was killed and two others injured in a road crash on Friday. As the protests gained momentum, the Delhi police even sought permission to use the city's stadiums as temporary jails - a request that was denied by the local state government. The farmers have now been allowed to stage their protest on the outskirts of the capital.
The government says the reforms are necessary to increase agricultural income and productivity. But farmers argue the liberalised policy leaves them vulnerable to big companies which may eventually dictate prices. They also fear that the government could remove the MSP and say they will continue to protest until the reforms are rolled back.
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