Farmers call off protest after Centre accepts their demands in writing

NEW DELHI: India’s farmers announced to call off a long-running protest after the government concedes to a clutch of pending demands, including assurances to consider guaranteed prices for all produce, not just rice and wheat.

Tens of thousands of farmers had staged the year-long protest to persuade Prime Minister Narendra Modi to repeal three new laws passed in September last year.

The government said the laws were aimed at modernising India’s vast agriculture sector and would increase the income of the farmers by giving them more choices to sell their produce.

But the farmers said the laws would give private corporations control over the sector and deprive them of a minimum support price (MSP) guaranteed by the government for their produce.

Last month, Modi made a surprise U-turn, apologising to the nation in a TV address and saying he would roll back the controversial legislations.

His announcement came ahead of crucial regional elections in ”grain bowl” states of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.