Protesting farmers listen to a leader speak after they were stopped by the police near Shambhu border that divides northern Punjab and Haryana states, almost 200 kilometers from New Delhi, India, Feb 16, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

NEW DELHI - Indian farmers protesting at inter-state borders near Delhi on Monday rejected the federal government's proposal for providing minimum support price (MSP) on five crops.

The farmers said the government's proposal was "not in their interest", and that they will continue with their protests and march towards Delhi.

Besides the MSP, the farmers are also demanding pensions for farmers and farm laborers, farm-debt waiver, and withdrawal of police cases filed in past agitations, among others

They said that the government's proposal did not have clarity and that they wanted the MSP on all 23 crops and not just on pulses, maize, and cotton crops.

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The federal government and the farmers have held four rounds of talks over the past couple of weeks. The fourth round took place on Sunday where the government put forth a five-year plan involving the purchase of pulses, maize, and cotton crops by government agencies at the MSPs.

The farmers began their march to Delhi last Tuesday. However, they were stopped by police who had heavily barricaded roads and fired tear gas shells to disperse them at the Shambhu border in Haryana, about 200 km from Delhi.

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Besides the MSP, the farmers are also demanding pensions for farmers and farm laborers, farm-debt waiver, and withdrawal of police cases filed in past agitations, among others.