Farmer protests in India have now turned deadly with thousands of farmers being tear gassed.
They marched to the capitol on a national holiday and police gassed them after they broke barricades and blocked highways with tractors. The government has offered to put new farm laws on hold, but farmers want them fully repealed.
On Tuesday, protesters drove into Delhi over the country’s leadership.
The protesters have spent two months outside the city over new ag laws. However, the demonstration of strength turned deadly when some farmers did not stick to the pre-approved route.
Police used batons and tear gas in several areas of the city. Some protestors retaliated by driving tractors towards police and some threw stones.
According to one official, over 50 police officers were injured; ten protesters were also injured and one died.
The reason for the protest is because of certain ag laws and the leadership of their Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
One of the ag laws deals with the deregulation of buying and selling goods, which may cause issues with guaranteed prices. Officials state that the new law replaces outdated practices.
“We are challenging Modi to listen to our voices. We have shown this government our strength,” one farmer stated, according to the Washington Post.
The protests also seem to be fueled by other matters. For the last 50 years, Punjab and Haryana, states in India, have seen rising prosperity, but recently incomes have become stagnant. Also, back in 2019, protest erupted around new citizenship laws.
Story via Joanna Slater with the Washington Post