Farmers Protests 2020

The Farmers Protests 2020 emerged as a significant mass movement in India, sparked by the passage of three controversial farm laws by the central government in September 2020. The laws—The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act—aimed to deregulate the agricultural sector, allowing farmers to sell their produce outside the traditional government-controlled markets. While the government claimed these laws would create more opportunities and better prices for farmers, many farmers, particularly from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, believed that the laws would primarily benefit large corporations and weaken the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system, ultimately threatening their livelihoods.

Starting from November 2020, thousands of farmers marched to the borders of Delhi, organizing large-scale sit-ins and blockades at key entry points like Singhu, Tikri, and Ghaziabad. The protests continued for more than a year, marked by tractor rallies, mass gatherings, and calls for the complete repeal of the farm laws. Despite harsh weather conditions, heavy police presence, and limited resources, the farmers remained resilient in their demands. The movement received support from various sections of society, including political parties, international activists, and civil society groups, drawing significant global attention.

 In December 2020, BOOM fact-checked an image that was falsely shared as representing the ongoing Farmers' Protest in Delhi.

BOOM found that the image was from the Jat agitation in Haryana in February 2017, where Jats had renewed their demand for reservations.