Farmers' protest: Facebook , Instagram pages of Kisan Ekta Morcha blocked, resume after 3 hrs

Managers of Kisan Ekta Morcha, which is one of the biggest platforms used by farm law protesters on social media, said the pages were blocked by Facebook on account of violation of community standards on spam, said media reports.

Their account on Instagram was also facing the same action and was not being allowed to make new posts, farmers said.

Media reports said the curbs came soon after Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav, who is one of the leaders of the farm protests, announced in a live broadcast that the farmers will go on a relay hunger strike to push for the repeal of the new farm laws starting Monday.

He also asked the protesters to bang plates during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's next monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat  scheduled next Saturday to question him when he will listen to their baat (demands).

The curbs on the Facebook and Instagram accounts of Kisan Ekta Morcha has stoked fresh controversy on the role of Facebook which has been accused of favouring the ruling BJP and government to protect its business interests in India, said reports.

The farmers' protest led by around 40 unions have spurned the attempts of Prime Minister Narenda Modi and his ministers' to reach a compromise on the farm laws.