Indian farmers pause protest march to Delhi

SHAMBHU, India - Indian farmers demanding higher prices for their produce paused their protest on Wednesday after the government made a new offer to resume talks, hours after police fired tear gas and used water cannons to scatter thousands staging a march to Delhi.

The farmers, mostly from the northern state of Punjab, have been demanding higher prices backed by law for their crops. They form an influential bloc of voters Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot afford to anger ahead of general elections due by May.

Farmers’ leader Sarwan Singh Pandher told reporters they would pause their protest for two days and deliberate their next course of action until Friday after the government offered anew to resume talks on farmers’ demand for guaranteed crop prices.

“The government is ready to discuss all the issues,” Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda posted on social network X.

“I again invite the farmer leaders for discussion. It is important for us to maintain peace.”

Earlier on Wednesday, protesters some wearing medical masks- ran into fields near their gathering-point on a highway about 200 km (125 miles) north of New Delhi after police fired tear gas.

Pandher claimed that one protester was killed and three injured at another protest site 100 km away, but police in Haryana state denied it.

Video clips on local media showed police using water cannons and farmers aiming a hose pipe of water at the site.

On Monday, the farmers’ groups rejected the government’s previous proposal for five-year contracts and guaranteed support prices for produce such as corn, cotton and pulses.

Picture: REUTERS Police fires tear gas towards farmers during a protest, as farmers march towards New Delhi to press for better crop prices promised to them in 2021, at Shambhu barrier, a border crossing between Punjab and Haryana states, India, February 21, 2024.

Picture: REUTERS Farmers run for cover as police fires tear gas during a protest, as farmers march towards New Delhi to press for better crop prices promised to them in 2021, at Shambhu barrier, a border crossing between Punjab and Haryana states, India, February 21, 2024.

Picture: REUTERS Farmers run for cover during a protest, as farmers march towards New Delhi to press for better crop prices promised to them in 2021, at Shambhu barrier, a border crossing between Punjab and Haryana states, India, February 21, 2024.