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Thousands of farmers are blocking roads and railways in protest of India’s new farm law. As a result of this new law, the government can stop buying crops from farmers at fixed prices and they will have to rely on private buyers.
On Friday, farmers staged protests across the country as part of a nationwide strike called by India’s leading farmers’ organizations. They blocked the roads of New Delhi with trucks, tractors and combine harvesters, Reuters reported.
In addition, millions of farmers in the northern Indian states of Punjab and Haryana have taken to the streets. Farmers are also protesting in Orissa and West Bengal in eastern India. Farmers’ organizations are also protesting in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Gujarat state.
Authorities canceled several trains today because farmers blocked the railways.
Additional police have been deployed in several states, especially in the vicinity of New Delhi, where security has been reinforced to prevent any violence.
The law was recently passed by Parliament to free India’s vast agricultural sector from the old law. After this law, it will be easier for farmers to sell their crops to various non-governmental organizations, including Walmart.
The Indian government believes that the new law will allow farmers to sell their crops to private buyers in addition to buying rice and wheat grains from farmers at fixed prices.
However, the Indian farming community was not convinced. Farmer leaders say the more than 7,000 government-controlled wholesale markets allow farmers to get their crops on time.
