Indian farmers protest naked after being denied debt talks with PM (VIDEO)

Indian farmers – demanding the cancellation of land loan debts and government drought support – stripped naked in frustration outside parliament on Monday after being denied an audience with the prime minister.

The unusual spectacle in New Delhi was reportedly prompted by the cancellation of a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and aggrieved farmers from Tamil Nadu. 

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Farmers from the southern state have been protesting in the city for a number of weeks over poor economic conditions and water management, the Deccan Chronicle reports. Images released by Tamil news agency Puthiya Thalaimurai shows one man running down a busy road waving his clothes in protest. 

Other protesters also discarded their clothing and rolled around naked on the ground in front of government buildings. 

In an effort to send a message to the government about their plight, Tamil Nadu residents carried the skulls of dead farmers in previous demonstrations. Protesters say at least 250 farmers have taken their own lives in recent months due to poor living conditions and financial stress, although the government deny the number is that high.

The naked protest came on the same day that the Delhi Tamil Youth Forum, a student support group for the Tamil Nadu farmers’ cause, launched a solidarity rally towards the Indian Parliament.

“A decade long drought in the state of Tamil Nadu, failure of crops and undue pressure from cooperative banks and nationalised bands to repay farm debts have forced few hundreds of farmers to commit suicide in a span of six months,” the group said in a press release. 

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Students from Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia University and Amity University participated in the march, according to local reports.