Jubilee Post News & Views
Special Desk
Agitating farmers in India have got support from the US as hundreds of Sikh-Americans held peaceful protest in several cities across the US in support of the Indian farmers. Indian farmers have been protesting against the new agricultural laws in India.
Protesters from various parts of California blocked the traffic on the Bay Bridge as they moved towards the Indian consulate in San Francisco, while several hundreds gathered in downtown Indianapolis.
The protesters at both the places demanded the new laws be repealed, saying they would push Indian farmers towards poverty and give the corporate sectors a monopoly.
“Farmers are the soul of any nation. People around the world, including many cities in the US and Canada, have come together to dispose of the bills that will open India’s agricultural market to the private sector; allowing major corporations to take over independent farming communities and dilute crops’ market value,” said Indiana-based Gurinder Singh Khalsa.
Khalsa was one of the organisers of the rally in downtown Indianapolis attended by nearly 500 Sikh Americans from various parts of Indiana. Thousands of farmers are protesting on various borders of Delhi since November 26, seeking repeal of three farm laws enacted in September.
A day earlier, there was a gathering of Sikh-Americans in Chicago and a protest rally in front of the Indian Embassy in Washington DC. Another one is planned on Sunday. “No Farmers, No Food” and “Save the farmers” were the commonly-sighted placards with peaceful protestors.
“This is a peaceful protest and should serve as a loud and clear message to the Indian government. We must support our farmers,” said Amandeep Singh Hundal. Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and several other states have been protesting for the last eleven days at the borders of Delhi against three farm laws.
Dubbing these laws as “anti-farmer”, these farmers claim that the newly enacted legislations would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations.
However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture and talks are going on between the government and farmers’ leaders.
