REUTERS | Tuesday, February 20, 2024 
Indian Farmers Reject Proposal from Government

Indian farmers camped outside the capital New Delhi have rejected a proposal from the national government for a guaranteed price contract for their crops. The government offered the farmers a five-year contract for guaranteed prices for several crops such as pulses, dry grains, maize and cotton, which would be paid by co-operatives that the government supports. But protest leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal announced the rejection in a video statement released late Monday, standing by their demands for guaranteed prices for all their crops. The farmers said they will resume their march on New Delhi on Wednesday. The march began last week, spearheaded by farmers from the northern states of Punjab and Haryana that are known as India’s breadbasket. The protesters said the government has failed to meet promises it made after they called off a year-long protest in 2021. Police fired tear gas shells at hundreds of farmers as they marched towards New Delhi, halting the march about 200 kilometers outside the city. Authorities also suspended mobile internet service in some protest locations and blocked social media accounts…Read more