Modi breaks his silence on escalating farm laws protests

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that the protesters that stormed New Delhi's historic Red Fort last week, caused an "insult" to the country, and that his government will proceed with the proposed agricultural reform.

In a radio address on Sunday, the Prime Minister stated that "The country was saddened by the insult to the Tricolour [Indian flag] on the 26th of January in Delhi", adding that “The government is committed to modernising agriculture and is also taking many steps in that direction".

Thousands of farmers have camped on the outskirts of the capital for over two months, protesting the Modi government's new agricultural laws, which they state benefit private buyers and corporations at the expense of plunging the farmers into poverty.

A tractor parade on Republic Day turned violent, when some protesters deviated from predetermined routes, clashing with police and breaking into the Red Fort complex in the capital; raising religious and farm union flags, although they did not remove the national flag on top of the monument.

One protester died, and hundreds (including policemen) were injured in the clashes.

Farm leaders issued a statement that they were not responsible for violence, that it was caused by a minority of those on the parade, and that they will resume their talks with the government.

The Prime Minister told opposition party leaders on Saturday that he would agree to freeze the laws for 18 months, an offer that still stands.

Agriculture employs nearly half of India’s labour force, and unrest among an estimated 150 million land-owning farmers is one of the biggest challenges to the Modi government since he first came to power in 2014.