Fifteen MPs from 10 opposition parties, including the SAD, DMK, NCP and the Trinamool Congress, were stopped by police from reaching Ghazipur border on Thursday to meet farmers protesting against new farm laws. According to SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal who coordinated the visit, the leaders were not allowed to cross the barricades and reach the protest site.
Besides Badal, Supriya Sule from NCP, Kanimozhi and Tiruchi Siva from the DMK, Saugata Roy from the TMC were part of the delegation. Members of the National Conference, RSP and the IUML were also part of it.
Top Bollywood actors, directors such as Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Karan Johar along with sports personalities like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Anil Kumble have come out in support of the government’s stand that the ongoing farmers’ protest is an internal matter amid growing international support towards the agitation following a tweet by international pop sensation Rihanna.
Meanwhile, the UK Parliament will be considering a debate on the farmers’ protest in India after an e-petition garnered over 1 lakh signatures. The US State Dept has said peaceful protests are important in a democracy.
