Murder Of Protesting Farmers – India Fails The Hands That Feed It
Peacefully protesting farmers in India were mowed down by a vehicle, in what can be only considered as premeditated murder.
Indian authorities suspended internet services and barred political leaders from entering a northern town in Uttar Pradesh on Monday to calm tensions after nine people were killed in a deadly escalation of a yearlong demonstration against three contentious agriculture laws.
News reports state that four farmers died on Sunday when a car owned by Junior Home Minister Ajay Mishra ran over protesting farmers in the Uttar Pradesh town of Lakhimpur Kheri.
View this post on Instagram
Two farmers were instantly killed after being hit by the car. In subsequent violence, three members of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party, a driver, and two other farmers were killed.
The Indian government vehemently denied any involvement till a video of the incident surfaced slamming shut their continued claims that the farmers are the villains.
As the case of the contentious agricultural laws reached the Supreme Court, tensions have been brewing on the ground. Agitated politicians, anxious farmers, and the slacking judicial system have made this issue a political focal point in India.
Leaders from the farming community have demanded actions against the culprits and the removal of the minister from his post.
This violence has marked an escalation of the ongoing protests against agriculture laws that farmers say will shatter their livelihoods. The protests have lasted since the government passed the laws last September. They have been one of the biggest challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
Last week, thousands of farmers gathered at the edges of India’s capital city, New Delhi, to mark one year of demonstrations. The government says the changes in the laws were needed to modernize agriculture and boost production through private investment. But the farmers say the laws will devastate their earnings by ending guaranteed pricing and will force them to sell their crops to corporations at a cheaper price.
Thousands of farmers have been camping for nearly a year on the outskirts of New Delhi. More than a dozen rounds of talks between the government and the protestors have failed to resolve the issue.
This attack is a brazen display of political power. One can only hope for peace and justice as once again, India fails the hands that feed it.
