Politics
India’s Internet Crackdown Fuels Anger as Farmers Block Highways
- Farmers demand restoration of communication at protest sites
- India has the world’s worst record on throttling internet
Farmers protest at the Tikri border in New Delhi, Feb. 4.
Photographer: Amal ks/Hindustan Times/Getty Images
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Tens of thousands of protesting Indian farmers have blocked highways across the country in defiance of the government’s internet and phone blackout, facing off against a heavy security deployment stationed behind rows of razor wire and concrete blocks.
They’re demanding a repeal of laws pushed through parliament by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government last year that they claim favor big companies over small landholders. They have rejected the government’s offer to suspend the reforms for 18 months, as well as a mediation process established by the Supreme Court.