2 yıl önce

India's farmers end year-long protests against agricultural reforms

The move comes after India's Modi-government repealed three agriculture laws the farmers feared would have led to a corporate takeover of the farming sector.

Reuters

Thousands of people have been camped on the outskirts of the capital New Delhi since last year to campaign against agricultural laws.

Indian farmers have formally ended year-long mass protests after Prime Minister Narendra Modi abandoned his push for agricultural reforms.

Modi's Hindu-nationalist government rushed through a repeal of the laws last month in a rare backdown, and farmer representatives said on Thursday they had agreed to stand down after further concessions.

A victory march will be held on Saturday to celebrate the campaign's victory against the reforms, protest leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said at a protest camp on the outskirts of New Delhi, news agency PTI reported.

Thousands of people have been camped on the outskirts of the capital New Delhi since last year to campaign against laws they said would have led to a corporate takeover of the sector.

Farmer's demands

Protests had carried on in smaller numbers after the repeal as farmers sought additional support measures, including compensation for the families of hundreds of farmers they say died during the protests.

They also sought concessions on electricity prices and a government pledge not to prosecute them for clearing their fields by burning.

Controlled fires are the cheapest way for farmers to clear their fields before the new growing season.

But smoke from the fires regularly shrouds the capital New Delhi in smog each winter and the government banned the practice two years ago.

SOURCE: Reuters