Marching to capital
\nThe farmers, mostly from the northern state of Punjab, have been demanding higher prices backed by law for their crops
\nSHAMBHU,
\nIndian police fired tear gas and water cannons on Wednesday to scatter thousands of farmers trying to stage a protest march to Delhi after they rejected a government offer on prices for their produce, prompting an offer of fresh talks.
\nThe 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.
\nFleeing the tear gas and clouds of smoke, the farmers, some wearing medical masks, ran into fields surrounding their gathering-point on a highway about 200 km (125 miles) north of the capital New Delhi.
\nWhen they tried to regroup, police fired more tear gas shells at them.
\nAt another protest site about 100 km away, video clips on local media showed police using water cannons and farmers aiming a hose pipe of water at them.
\nThe police action came as Modi\u2019s government made a new offer to resume talks on farmers\u2019 demand for guaranteed crop prices.
\n\u201cThe government is ready to discuss all the issues,\u201d Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda posted on social network X.
\n\u201cI again invite the farmer leaders for discussion. It is important for us to maintain peace.\u201d
\nFarmers\u2019 leader Sarwan Singh Pandher told reporters they would discuss how to respond.
\nOn Monday, the farmers\u2019 groups had rejected the government\u2019s previous proposal for five-year contracts and guaranteed support prices for produce such as corn, cotton and pulses.
\nHighways blocked
\nThe farmers, accompanied by cranes and excavators, began marching at 0530 GMT from a spot on a key highway where authorities had erected barricades on the border of Punjab state with Haryana.
\n\u201cIt is not right that such massive barricades have been placed to stop us,\u201d said one of the farmers\u2019 leaders, Jagjit Singh Dallewal. \u201cWe want to march to Delhi peacefully. If not, they should accede to our demands.\u201d
\nPolice in riot gear lined the highway as the farmers waved colourful flags emblazoned with the symbols of their unions.
\nLate on Tuesday, Haryana police\u2019s chief ordered the immediate seizure of heavy equipment brought by the farmers, to keep protesters from using it to destroy barricades.
\nAbout 10,000 people had gathered on Wednesday, along with 1,200 tractors and wagons at Shambhu on the state border, police in Haryana posted on X.
\nSecurity was stepped up at entry points to New Delhi, slowing traffic entering the city of more than 20 million and causing snarls. Two key entry points north of the city have been shut for days and traffic diverted.
\nAn earlier government proposal of minimum support prices to farmers who diversify their crops to grow cotton, pigeon peas, black matpe, red lentils and corn was rejected by the protesters, who wanted additional foodgrains covered.
\nSimilar protests two years ago, when farmers camped for months at the border of New Delhi, forced Modi\u2019s government to repeal a set of farm laws.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Marching to capital The farmers, mostly from the northern state of Punjab, have been demanding higher prices backed by law for their crops SHAMBHU, Indian police fired tear gas and water cannons on Wednesday to scatter thousands of farmers trying to stage a protest march to Delhi after they rejected a government offer on prices […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":388642,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-388630","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n