From the hinterland to Hollywood: how Indian farmers galvanised a protest movement

FILE PHOTO: Farmers block a railway track to stop train services at Modi Nagar railway station as part of protests against farm laws, in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India, February 18, 2021. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File Photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is struggling to beat back his biggest political challenge in years from a protest movement which began with disgruntled farmers travelling to New Delhi on tractors and is now gaining wider support at home and abroad.

Simmering in makeshift camps housing tens of thousands of farmers since last year, the movement has seen a dramatic growth in recent weeks, getting backing from environmental activists, opposition parties and even A-list Western celebrities.