Police in India fire tear gas at farmers during protest

Police in northern India have fired tear gas to prevent thousands of protesting farmers demanding minimum crop prices from marching on Delhi. The capital is ringed by razor wire, cement blocks and fencing on three sides to keep protests at bay.

The government looks to avoid a repeat of the long protests in 2020 that saw dozens die. Protesting farmers hunkered down for months, blocking national highways that connect the capital to its neighbouring states. The movement was seen as one of the biggest challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

While Ministers agreed to repeal controversial agricultural laws, many farmers are saying that even after two years many of their other demands haven’t been met.

In 2021, after the farm laws were repealed the government had said it would set up a panel to find ways to ensure support prices for all farm produce. But the committee is yet to submit its report.

Pictures have come out showing thick clouds of tear gas being used to disperse protesters near the city of Ambala, about 125 miles north of the capital. Police also fired tear gas, as they did on Monday, at the Shambhu border between Haryana and Punjab states. Drones flew continuously over the crowd and dropped tear gas on people below.

A BBC reporter who was on the scene said: “It literally rained tear gas shells through the day.” Several were injured as police fired plastic bullets at protesters. Farmers used wet sacks and clothes to protect themselves from the tear gas shells.

The farmers say they want to peacefully cross Haryana to reach Delhi, but they have not been allowed to do so. Scuffles between police and protesters have also been reported at the Shambhu border and the situation remains tense.

Traffic jams and disruptions were reported across Delhi on Tuesday as authorities blocked roads and diverted traffic. In Haryana, the BJP-led state government has suspended internet services in seven districts until Tuesday. Two rounds of talks between farm union leaders and federal ministers have so far failed to break the deadlock.

Farmers are asking for guaranteed floor prices, also known as minimum support price or MSP which allows them to sell most of their produce at government-controlled wholesale markets, or mandis. They are also demanding that the government fulfil its promise of doubling farmers’ income.

On Monday, federal ministers held a six-hour meeting with farm union leaders. The two sides reportedly came to an agreement on some of the demands, including the withdrawal of cases registered against protesters during the 2020 protests, but there was no consensus on the MSP.

More than 200 farmer unions are participating in the march. Sarvan Singh Pandher, general secretary of the Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, told ANI news agency “”We will move peacefully and our objective is that the government listens to our demands.”

Farmers’ and trade unions have also announced a rural strike on the 16th of February during which no agricultural activities will be carried out. Shops, markets and offices in all villages will be closed while farmers will block major roads across the country.