Indian farmers reinforce protest sites to mark year of demonstrations

NEW DELHI, Nov 26 (Reuters)- Tens of thousands of Indian farmers marched overnight to reinforce protesting colleagues camping on the outskirts of the capital New Delhi to mark a year of sustained demonstrations against three farm laws introduced last year. Seeking to end the longest-running farmers’ protest that galvanised growers across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week bowed to the protesters’ demand to repeal the controversial laws introduced in September 2020.

Modi, striking a conciliatory note, promised his government would repeal the laws in the new session of parliament, starting next week.  Farmers celebrated the retreat but said the protest would only be called off when parliament repealed the laws and the government promised legislation that would ensure state-set Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all produce, not just rice and wheat.