 |
| London diaspora protest |
In a memorandum submitted to Indian embassies, mainly across Europe, several Indian diaspora groups have demanded repeal of the three farm laws, calling them “unjust.” In their statement, they said, the Indian farmers have been protesting since the three laws as these were passed “hurriedly in August 2020 without holding consultations with the farmers’ groups.”
The memorandum said, “The local farmers’ opposition protests moved to the Capital Region, Delhi, around November 26, 2020 for a nationwide general strike but were met with frequent provocation by police: Highways were dug out to prevent the farmers’ movement to Delhi, and protestors were fired at with water cannons and tear gas.”
It said, “Despite being treated badly and battling the cold weather in Delhi, farmer groups including aged persons and families with children are still staying at the Delhi border”, adding, the diaspora extends its “solidarity to the farmers in their struggle for justice” and expresses “distress about the corporatization of agriculture, threat to democracy and the sidestepping of core constitutional mechanisms by the Indian government while passing the three laws.”
The memorandum said, “The diaspora laments the prolongation of the negotiations between farmers and elected officials, and assesses that the government's proposals have not been made in good faith. On January 20, 2021, the government agreed to suspend the laws temporarily and focus on consultations, although not taking the step to repeal them entirely.”
It added, “Farmers have declared their intention to hold a peaceful protest outside Delhi on January 26, 2021, India's Republic Day, and are determined to fight these unilateral neoliberal Acts of the government which provide no effective remedy against the deteriorating rights of farmers in India.”
The memorandum -- recalling that members of parliament of the United Kingdom and Australia, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as well as other political actors worldwide, have criticised the farm laws and raised concerns about the manner in which the government has responded to the protesting farmers -- demands repeal of the three laws, guarantee minimum support price for all agricultural produce, implementation of the findings of the Swaminathan Commission, and convening of an exclusive parliamentary session to resolve all outstanding grievances of farmers.
The European groups that signed the memorandum include Indian Alliance Paris, Liberal Indians France, Indian Solidarity Finland, Indian Solidarity Sweden, India Solidarity Germany, Indian Resistance Network Norway, Collective Against Violation and Abuse of Civil and Human Rights (CAVACH), EU Liberal Indians Amsterdam Chapter, International Network of Democratic Indians Abroad UK, he European International Solidarity for Academic Freedom In India (InSAF), and Scottish Indians for Justice Scotland.
Organisations from other countries are: Crescent Hub Kuwait, Canadians Against Oppression & Persecution (CAOP), Voices Against Fascism in India and the Progressive India Collective (USA), New Zealanders United To Save The Indian Constitution, t and the Humanism Project, Australia.
Comments