Indian Farmers Stage Naked Protest Outside Prime Minister’s Office

After being denied an audience with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, debt-ridden farmers from the southern state of Tamil Nadu stripped naked and rolled on the road in front of the offices of the President and Prime Minister in the scorching Delhi heat.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — For almost a whole month, hundreds of farmers from the southern state have been camping in Delhi, demanding drought relief from the government. They said Tamil Nadu state had faced one of the worst droughts over the last two years and they are unable to pay bank loans due to crop failure. Since October last, more than 270 farmers have been forced to commit suicide, said the farmers.On Monday afternoon, some farmers went to the Prime Minister's Office to submit a memorandum to PM Modi but they weren't allowed to meet him. On their way back from the Prime Minister's Office to their Delhi protest site, Jantar Mantar, they took off their clothes and rolled on the road.

Delhi: Tamil Nadu farmers stage nude protest outside North Block, demand drought relief fund#ITVideo https://t.co/NounxnP7mg pic.twitter.com/vC7SpvwlO1

— India Today (@IndiaToday) April 10, 2017

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Delhi-farmers of Tamil nadu protest nude near south block. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/kjhPltEgiZ

— Dr.Braj (@drbrajk) April 10, 2017

​"The Prime Minister refused to meet us, that's why we are running naked. This is our sad state, look at our pathetic state. We came here to meet the Prime Minister, but they didn't let us meet him. We have no other place go, that's why we're running naked," said Iyyakannu, one of the protesting farmers.

The farmers have chosen various methods to draw the attention of the Modi government which has given $147.5 billion tax relief to corporate in the first two years of its tenure. Farmers are demanding that the government treat them on par with big business. They have sought the implementation of the Swaminathan committee report that recommended suitable remuneration of all crops.

Over the last month, protesting farmers have held skulls of dead farmers in their hands, dead snakes in their mouth and even shaved their heads and mustaches to gain the government's attention.

#TamilNadu #farmers urge PM #Modi to come at Jantar Mantar during their protest in #NewDelhi | Full video: https://t.co/73AS6mKCdq pic.twitter.com/D4Nni9UeLT

— Outlook Magazine (@Outlookindia) April 7, 2017​