INDIA’S government vowed to railroad through new farming laws opening the sector to global agribusiness today, despite huge protests that have surrounded the capital for months and spread across the country.

In parliament Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar made no new offer to resume stalled talks with the farmers and said the reforms were essential to raise private-sector investment in agriculture.

He also defended the controversial legalisation of private stockpiling of food supplies, saying it would be profitable for farmers.

Farmers’ organisations say they will block motorways across India on Saturday and they will not give in until the laws are defeated.

Opposition parties slammed the Narendra Modi government for its crackdown on farmers’ protests, saying the state had disconnected electricity and water supplies at protest sites and was putting pressure on social media companies like Twitter to block accounts supporting the protests.

Hundreds of Twitter accounts including that of investigative journal The Caravan have been shut down and editor Vinod K Jose has been charged with sedition.

Internet Freedom Foundation executive director Apar Gupta said his own account had been blocked, calling it “a very chilling development for the press.” 

The Communist Party of India-Marxist said that state governments run by Mr Modi’s Hindu chauvinist BJP had “intensified attacks against those journalists who have been reporting truthfully the events connected with the farmers’ protests.” 

Nine journalists have been charged with offences including sedition, insulting religion and promoting communal disharmony since January 28, part of what it called a nationwide effort to “browbeat, intimidate and harass the media.”

Today Indian Muslim comedian Munawar Faruqui was released on bail having been arrested after the son of a BJP politician said that jokes he allegedly planned to tell, which he had not yet told, were offensive to Hindus. He is charged with outraging religious feelings.

Giant protests by hundreds of thousands of farmers have rocked India since November. On India’s Republic Day on January 26 thousands stormed Delhi’s Red Fort and clashes with police left one person dead and hundreds wounded.

Farmers say the reforms will plunge millions into poverty with an end to state-guaranteed prices, as well as create food insecurity.