NEW DELHI, India (AFP) – According to a protest leader, Indian farmers finally halted year-long mass rallies on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi abandoned his quest for agricultural reforms.
Since last year, thousands of people have been camping on the outskirts of the capital, New Delhi, to protest policies they claim will lead to a corporate takeover of the industry.
Farmers claimed Thursday that they had agreed to stand down following more concessions from Modi’s Hindu-nationalist administration, which hurried through a repeal of the rules last month in a rare backdown.
Protest leader Balbir Singh Rajewal stated at a protest camp on the outskirts of New Delhi on Saturday that a victory march will be staged to commemorate the campaign’s win against the changes.
Farmers demanded further assistance measures, including compensation for the relatives of hundreds of farmers who died during the riots, and protests continued in lower numbers following the repeal.
They also demanded lower power rates and assurances from the government that they would not be prosecuted if they burned their crops to clear them.
Farmers may clear their fields for the new growing season for the least money by using controlled fires.
However, each winter, smoke from the fires blankets the capital, New Delhi, in pollution, prompting the authorities to outlaw the practise two years ago.