Highlights: India: Police try to prevent thousands of farmers from entering New Delhi. Farmers are calling for a national law to guarantee a floor purchasing price for major crops. To stop these farmers, the police closed several highways by erecting concrete blocks, metal barriers, and fixing nails to the ground. The government is negotiating with two unions leading this march, but says it cannot quickly pass a law, three months before the legislative elections. Farmers, for their part, want to weigh in on the debate in this electoral campaign.

In India, thousands of farmers are heading to New Delhi to protest and demand a national law that guarantees a minimum agricultural price. But the government wants to prevent them from returning...

India: Police try to prevent thousands of farmers from entering New Delhi

In India, thousands of farmers are heading to New Delhi to protest and demand a national law that guarantees a minimum agricultural price. But the government wants to prevent them from entering the city, or repeating the siege that lasted a year between 2020 and 2021 around the capital. Hundreds of police and paramilitaries are placed on the access roads. New Delhi is getting stronger.

In order to prevent farmers from entering New Delhi, the police erected barriers blocking the main roads around the city on February 13, 2024. AFP - VINAY GUPTA

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in India,

Sébastien Farcis

Lines of tractors, dragging habitable trailers, are heading towards New Delhi from Punjab and other northern

states

. Enough to last a long seat. To stop these farmers, the police closed several highways by erecting concrete blocks, metal barriers, and fixing nails to the ground.

Tear gas

At one of the entrances to the city, they already fired tear gas at the first arrivals. Farmers are calling for a national law to guarantee a floor purchasing price for major crops, a system that exists in some states, but not everywhere.

And creates “ unfair

” competition

, says Kamaljeet Singh, member of the Punjab Kisan Union: “

Trucks travel in the middle of the night from states like Bihar, where there is no floor price, and arrive in Punjab where it there is one. They sell their products more expensively, but it invades our markets and we can no longer sell our crops.

Weigh on the legislative debate

The government is negotiating with two unions leading this march, but says it cannot quickly pass a law, three months before the legislative elections. Farmers, for their part, want to weigh in on the debate in this electoral campaign.

International reportIndia: between dazzling growth and social disparities

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your inbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

Continue reading on the same themes:

India
Agriculture and Fishing
Social issues
Employment and Work
Economic crisis
Narendra Damodardas Modi

India: Police try to prevent thousands of farmers from entering New Delhi

India: Police try to prevent thousands of farmers from entering New Delhi

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest