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NEW DELHI - Hundreds of cotton farmers have climbed to the top of towering water tanks in India's western state of Maharashtra and are threatening to jump off to highlight their debt problems, the Times of India reports.
"I will not get down till my demands are met," local legislator and protest organiser Bacchu Kadu said after scaling a 40m water tank with 20 bell-clanging supporters. The protesters want loan waivers from the Government.
Thousands of Indian farmers have killed themselves in the past five years, unable to repay loans and huge interest payments on them. On Tuesday, one farmer jumped off a 20m tank when police tried to bring him down and was critically injured.
The federal Government in September approved a 170 billion rupee ($5.56 billion) package of financial relief for four badly affected states, including Maharashtra.
- REUTERS
