Parliament Session: Farmers, opposition parties have been protesting against farm laws since last year
Farmers on Saturday deferred their 'sansad chalo', or 'march to Parliament' call, two days before the government is to introduce a bill cancelling the farm laws that have triggered protests nationwide.
"We are postponing the 'Parliament march' for November 29. The government has promised us that the laws will be repealed in Parliament on the 29th," farmer leader Dr Darshan Pal told reporters this afternoon, after a meeting of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha.
"We wrote to the Prime Minister, in which we made many demands. We demanded cases against farmers should be quashed... MSP to be guaranteed... (families of) farmers martyred in this movement should get compensation... stubble burning cases and electricity bills should be cancelled," he said.
"We will wait till December 4... will announce our next action then," he added.
Earlier this week farmer leader Rakesh Tikait declared that more than 60 tractors and over 1,000 people would march on Parliament on Monday, when the winter session is scheduled begin.
The government has said a bill to scrap the three farm laws, which were passed last year amid ruckus and chaos in Parliament, will be tabled Monday by Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar.
The BJP has issued whips to all its MPs (as has the Congress) to be present on opening day.
Earlier today Mr Tomar urged farmers to end their agitation, saying he saw "no point" in it continuing now that the government had agreed to scrap the laws. He also said a committee would be constituted to discuss farmers' issues, and that the government had accepted various demands.
However, he made no specific reference to a bill promising MSP, or minimum support price, which remains a core demand for protesting farmers.
Last week Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an unexpected announcement, said the farm laws would be rolled back, and asked farmers to stand down and return home, something they refused.
Tens of thousands have voiced their opposition to the laws, and thousands have been camped out at the borders of Delhi for more than a year to demand its repeal. They say the agitation will go on till the laws are formally repealed and all demands, including legal guarantee for MSP, are met.
The more than year-long farmers protest made headlines around the country and the world.
The farmers had argued the laws would leave them at the mercy of corporate interests, and feared it would spell the end of MSPs that are crucial, particularly for small and marginal landholders, during times of drought or disaster.
The government had insisted the laws will benefit farmers, and was prepared to offer a written (but not legally binding) guarantee for MSP.