Farmers block roads across India in protest over agriculture law

Thousands of farmers blockaded main roads across India for several hours on Saturday to press their demand for the repeal of new agricultural laws that have led to months of major protests.

The protesters used tractors, lorries and boulders to blockade the roads. They carried banners and flags denouncing the laws, which they say will leave them poorer and at the mercy of corporations.

“We will keep fighting till our last breath,” said Jhajjan Singh, 80, a farmer at a protest site in Ghazipur. The country’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, “should know that either he will remain or we will,” he said.

Authorities deployed thousands of security forces, mainly outside Delhi, where farmers have camped at three main sites for more than two months. The farmers have said they would not leave until the government repeals the laws.

Saturday’s blockade began at midday and lasted for three hours. No violence was immediately reported.

Several rounds of talks between the farmers and the government have failed to produce any breakthroughs. The government has said the laws are necessary to modernise Indian agriculture.

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The agriculture minister, Narendra Singh Tomar, defended the laws in parliament on Friday, dampening hopes of a quick settlement and making no offer to resume talks with the farmers.

The protests turned violent on 26 January, India’s Republic Day, when a group of farmers driving tractors veered from the protest route and stormed the 17th-century Red Fort. Hundreds of police officers were injured as were scores of farmers. One protester died.

Farmer leaders condemned the violence but said they would not call off the protest.

Authorities have since increased security at protest sites outside Delhi significantly, adding iron spikes and steel barricades to stop the farmers from entering the capital.

The office of the UN high commissioner for human rights called on the authorities and protesters to exercise maximum restraint.

“The rights to peaceful assembly & expression should be protected both offline & online. It’s crucial to find equitable solutions with due respect to HumanRights for all,” it said in a tweet late on Friday.