Farmers Kick Off 'Peaceful' Protest Near Parliament in Delhi for Revocation of Farm Laws

Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government passed three farms laws last September, they have faced protests and criticism from opposition parties. Farmers have blocked railway tracks and taken to roads to protest against the legislation.

Over 200 farmers along with 40 union leaders launched a protest near the Indian parliament in Delhi on Thursday, demanding that three farm laws passed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government last year be revoked. 

The protest is being staged at Jantar Mantar, a popular place in the heart of the city and located about two kilometres from the parliament, where the Monsoon Session is underway, amid a heavy security deployment.

While journalists are not allowed to Cover #FarmersParliament protest ... Here's what's going at jantar mantar @SputnikInt
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​The farmers were escorted to the parliament in buses from the Singhu Border, one of the main protest sites, earlier on Thursday morning. They have been granted permission to protest from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Indian time).

Farmers reaches Jantar Mantar @SputnikInt
With my colleague @advityabahl pic.twitter.com/bTmmu9DU5x

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​Speaking to Sputnik, Ravinder Singh Katiyar, a farmer leader, said police officials had stopped them at four different points before they reached Jantar Mantar.

"We have written letters to all the parliamentarians to speak for our cause, all opposition leaders are supporting us. The Modi government in the beginning said that only rich farmers are part of the protest, but our eight-month-long struggle has proved it wrong", he said.

#FarmersParliament at Jantar Mantar

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On Thursday, farmer leaders also said they had started their own version of the parliament, as people inside the actual legislature failed to listen to them.

"This is a new form of protest, where we have appointed speakers just like our original parliament has", they said.

Meanwhile, several opposition leaders, including Congress' Rahul Gandhi, came out in support of the farmers and held a protest inside the parliament premises.

Shri @RahulGandhi Ji leading protest in support of farmers at Parliament House.

pic.twitter.com/7Wd1J0F1U0

— Srinivas B V (@srinivasiyc) July 22, 2021

​Since 26 November 2020, thousands of farmers, mainly from Haryana and Punjab states, have been protesting at three different sites on the outskirts of Delhi. The farmers are protesting against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

According to the government, the laws allow farmers to sell their produce at places apart from their designated agricultural market. They also aim at allowing contract farming, under which they can enter supply agreements with private firms for remunerative and pre-decided prices.

Farmers believe that the new laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system (MSP), leaving them at the mercy of big corporations.