Farmer protests taking place in #India’s capital #Delhi have turned violent in some areas. The ongoing protests are perhaps the biggest challenge the Narendra Modi government has faced since it came to power in 2014. Thread https://twitter.com/ani/status/1353965925960019968

Permission was given to farmers to march on planned routes. Reports that farmers have diverted in many locations. Protest was planned to coincide with Republic Day celebrations in #india. Tear gas fired in many locations. Footage source ANI

Events today the latest in months of protests by farmers. At the centre of the conflict, new agriculture laws passed by the parliament in September last year. #India #farmerprotests

The government says it opens farming to free market. Supporters say agriculture in dire need of reform. Many farm groups though say they will leave them vulnerable to exploitation by private players. #India #FarmerProtests

There is also anger over how the laws were passed. Farmer groups say they were not consulted and rushed through. And there is also anger over initial government response to protests when farmers were not allowed to enter the capital. #India #Farmerprotests

‘PM Modi will have to take back these black laws. We will march to the Red Fort via Rajpath’ a protester tells @BBCHindi @salmanravi #India #farmerprotests

What we’ve seen in #India over the past few yrs - people who protest govt actions or laws are largely discredited as anti-national, or their protests crushed. Hard to do that with farmers because of their numbers & because they are revered in Indian society. #farmerprotests