Farmers in India mounts pressure on government over anti-farming laws

Tens of thousands of Indian farmers camping in the outskirts of the capital city, New Delhi, for more than a week have launched a nationwide  strike to demand the scrapping of three farm laws they say will hurt their livelihood and benefit only corporations.

Farmer leaders said the laws are pro-corporate and will gradually lead to the government withdrawing the current guaranteed price mechanism under which it buys agricultural produce from farmers.

Prime minister Narendra Modi has defended the three laws passed in September, saying they will boost private investment in the moribund agriculture sector and boost farm income.

Thousands of farmers have blocked three key highways linking Delhi to neighbouring states and said they will not leave until the government accepts their demands.