Today's a 'black day', farm laws will exploit farmers: Balasaheb Thorat

Maharashtra Congress President Balasaheb Thorat on Tuesday said that today is a "black day" and Centre's newly enacted farm laws are to exploit the farmers.

"It's been 61 days since farmers have been protesting. It's a historical protest. Farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been agitating for very long now. When the country was hungry, our farmers who grew crops and fed us, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn't speak to the farmers. This is a black day, these black laws are to exploit the farmers," said Thorat.

Congress has always been with the farmers and will always be with them, Thorat added.

"The Farmers who created the Green Revolution are termed as Khalist, this is how low Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can stoop. We in MVA don't have any problem, we had together supported the farmers protest in Mumbai. Whatever law needs to be made in favour of farmers we, will do our best for it," Thorat stated.

Earlier today, reports of farmers breaking barricades to enter Delhi and resorting to vandalism poured from several parts of the city. The entry and exit gates of several Metro stations were also closed.

Several people, including police personnel, suffered injuries during the clash between protesting farmers and police.

Police used tear gas shells to disperse the protesting farmers at ITO in central Delhi.

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

( With inputs from ANI )