NEW DELHI- Over 12,000 sugarcane farmers demonstrated in New Delhi on Thursday (Nov. 19) to demand higher prices for their crop. They were protesting government announced plans to freeze sugar cane prices.
Central Delhi came to a standstill in the afternoon when the farmers, mostly from North India took to the streets demanding that sugar cane prices be allowed to rise. The farmers arrived in long caravans of buses, many with sugar cane bundles tied to the buses radio antennas. In a militant but festive mood the farmers rallied near the Parliament building to hear speeches – then many formed into spontaneous groups to march throughout the capital waving sugar cane stalks and shouting their demands.
The Indian Parliament was in session and later in the afternoon it was announced by the government that the farmers concerns were heard and that the price freeze would be reconsidered. Jubilant farmers danced in the streets and laughed and joked with Delhi residents before boarding their buses to return home.
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