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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Indian farmers blockade highways nationwide to protest farm laws

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NEW DELHI: Tens of thousands of protesting farmers in India began a three-hour nationwide blockade of highways on Saturday as part of their agitation against three contentious farm laws they want repealed.


The Indian capital has been placed on high alert, with authorities closing 10 metro stations and deploying additional police at the borders.


The farmers, who have started blocking highways in the adjoining state of Haryana, have said they would not be putting up blockades in Delhi, which saw violence and vandalism by a group of protesters on January 26, India’s Republic Day.


The two-month-long protests have otherwise been largely peaceful.


Leaders of the farmer protest had condemned the violence but have not called off their agitation.


Large numbers of farmers, led by their unions, have been parked at Delhi’s borders since mid-November at points on highways where they were stopped by police. They are protesting against three farm laws that ease rules regarding storage, marketing and sale of produce.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government says these laws will modernise and energise the farming sector, on which more than 50 per cent of India’s population depends for a living.


The protesting farmers say the laws will leave them vulnerable to big corporations and the vagaries of the free market.


The government and farmers’ leaders have conducted several rounds of talks, but have not been able to achieve a breakthrough.


“We will block vehicles for three hours in a symbolic gesture,” said Rakesh Tikait, a farmers’ leader.


“We will give stranded people water, food, and explain to them why we are protesting.” — dpa


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