Thousands of Indian farmers hold rally in Uttar Pradesh

More than 10-thousand Indian farmers have held a fresh rally against the government’s controversial agricultural reforms as the protest movement gains momentum. The Friday protest was held in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, with participants coming from across the political and religious spectrum. Hundreds of police forces stood by but there were no reports of violence. Protest leaders said thousands more would head to the capital New Delhi unless the government repeals a set of laws enacted in September. India has been the scene of protests by farmers for months now. The protesters say the new laws benefit large corporations at the expense of smaller producers. The Indian government argues the reforms open up new opportunities for farmers. Nearly a dozen rounds of talks between government and farmer representatives have failed to make a breakthrough.