India farmers protests: Thousands return to New Delhi in fresh protests

Farmers are demanding that the government guarantee a minimum support price for all produce and clear all farmer debts, among other things, according to a statement from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the farmer organization that organized the protest on Monday.

A spokesperson for the Federal Agriculture Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Protesters wielded banners and flags and broke through barriers as they marched toward the venue, shouting slogans against Modi.

Last November, Modi said he would roll back three farm laws that had aimed to deregulate produce markets but which farmers said would allow corporations to exploit them.

The federal government also agreed to set up a panel of growers and government officials to find ways of ensuring Minimum Support Prices (MSP), as the guaranteed rates are called, for all farm produce.

Last month, the federal government set up the panel and invited representatives of farmer organizations to join in.

Security around the borders of the national capital was tightened and police presence was heightened in and around the protest area.