AMBALA: Indian farmers demanding higher prices for their crops will postpone a planned protest march to Delhi until unions hold another round of talks with government ministers on Sunday.
Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, who met farmers’ representatives along with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Home Minister Nityanand Rai on Thursday, said the talks were “positive”.
“We have decided that the next meeting to move the discussion forward will be held on Sunday at 6 p.m. … We believe that we can all find a solution together peacefully,” he told reporters after Thursday’s meeting.
Protest leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal also told reporters that the farmers would postpone their march for now.
“When the meetings start, when we move forward (towards Delhi), how will the meetings be held?” Dallewal told reporters, adding that the protest “will continue peacefully.”
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Thousands of farmers took to the “Delhi Chalo” or “Let’s Go to Delhi” march earlier this week to force the government to set a minimum price for their produce, but were stopped by security forces about 200km (125 miles) away. away from the capital, sparking clashes.
The protests have erupted months before India holds national elections in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third term. Farmers form an influential electoral bloc.
Farmers remained camped on the border between the states of Punjab and Haryana on Friday. Security forces used concrete and metal barricades, as well as drones carrying tear gas canisters, to halt their advance.
The protest comes two years after Modi’s government scrapped some farm laws following a similar protest movement and vowed to find ways to ensure price support for all produce.
