Indian farmers celebrate victory against controversial laws after year-long mass protests

NEW DELHI, INDIA - DECEMBER 11: Thousands of Indian farmers packed their belongings and dismantled tents as they celebrated the victory against the government early Saturday.Farmers in India ended year-long protests on Thursday after the government repealed controversial reform laws last month.The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (United Farmers Front), a coalition of farmer unions, announced the decision, saying they were packing up from various protest sites in Delhi.The protests ended after a meeting with government officials in which pending issues of the farmers were discussed and a draft proposal was accepted.Indian parliament last month voted to repeal the laws that had triggered the protests.Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan had camped outside Delhi since November 2020. Political analysts have said the protests were the biggest challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi has faced since coming to power in 2014 and the sudden repeal of laws is linked to the upcoming provincial elections -- a claim denied by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. (Footage by Pankaj Nangia/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)