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Demands of Indian landless 'met' | Demands of Indian landless 'met' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The Indian government says it will set up a panel on land reform to meet the demands of landless farmers and indigenous people. | The Indian government says it will set up a panel on land reform to meet the demands of landless farmers and indigenous people. |
Some 25,000 protesters converged on Delhi on Sunday demanding land reform and ownership rights laws. | Some 25,000 protesters converged on Delhi on Sunday demanding land reform and ownership rights laws. |
They had been on a march lasting nearly four weeks. | They had been on a march lasting nearly four weeks. |
The protesters say they have been left behind by India's economic boom. But they now say that their protest has been a success. | The protesters say they have been left behind by India's economic boom. But they now say that their protest has been a success. |
'Clear the hurdles' | 'Clear the hurdles' |
"Our demands have been met. We are fully satisfied, now that the rural development minister came here and made the announcement," a protest leader, Bharat Bhushan Thakur said. | "Our demands have been met. We are fully satisfied, now that the rural development minister came here and made the announcement," a protest leader, Bharat Bhushan Thakur said. |
"These measures will clear the hurdles in giving land to poor people. We are now ready to go back," the AFP news agency quoted him as saying. | "These measures will clear the hurdles in giving land to poor people. We are now ready to go back," the AFP news agency quoted him as saying. |
The marchers were prevented from reaching parliament | The marchers were prevented from reaching parliament |
According to the protesters, the government has agreed that half the seats on the new panel will go to the landless and indigenous. | According to the protesters, the government has agreed that half the seats on the new panel will go to the landless and indigenous. |
A government statement said the panel would examine "all land-related issues". | A government statement said the panel would examine "all land-related issues". |
The BBC's Renu Agal in Delhi says that no timetable has been set to for the government to meet the protesters' demands. | |
Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said that action would be taken as soon as possible. | |
The protesters are mainly low-caste tenant farmers and landless indigenous people. | The protesters are mainly low-caste tenant farmers and landless indigenous people. |
Earlier on Monday they were prevented by police from marching to the parliament building. | Earlier on Monday they were prevented by police from marching to the parliament building. |
They then staged a sit-down protest at a large, dusty carnival ground in the heart of Delhi. | They then staged a sit-down protest at a large, dusty carnival ground in the heart of Delhi. |
For the past month, they have marched across India, hoping to take their protest to the government. | For the past month, they have marched across India, hoping to take their protest to the government. |
The protesters waved flags and chanted "give us land, give us water", as they marched in long, orderly lines into the centre of the capital. | The protesters waved flags and chanted "give us land, give us water", as they marched in long, orderly lines into the centre of the capital. |
Their demands included a national authority to oversee land reform and a system of fast track courts to deal with the long delays in resolving land disputes. | Their demands included a national authority to oversee land reform and a system of fast track courts to deal with the long delays in resolving land disputes. |