Sukhmeet Bhasin
Tribune news service
Bathinda, November 29
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) have been outspoken in support of protesting farmers in Delhi and started sending aid to them. NRIs say they are concerned and dismayed by the brutality towards farmers.
Around Canadian $ 50,000 (Rs 25 lakhs) has been donated by Raja Dhaliwal from Canada’s “World Finance Group” and the executive team to help farmers and they have donated to provide langar for farmers. They have given the money to Ravi Singh of Khalsa Aid.
Raja Dhaliwal, while broadcasting the video message via video conference, said that it had been decided to do this work dedicated to the doctrine of Guru Nanak Sahib. He said he supported farmers and would also raise his voice for economic, community and political support.
Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan tweeted: “Reports that peaceful protesters have been brutalized in India are very concerning. Many of my constituents have relatives there and are concerned for the safety of their loved ones. Healthy democracies allow peaceful protest. I urge those involved to defend this fundamental right ”.
Canada’s NDP leader Jagmeet Singh tweeted: “The violence perpetrated by the Indian government against peacefully protesting farmers is appalling. I stand in solidarity with farmers in Punjab and across India, and call on the Indian government to engage in peaceful dialogue rather than violence. “
British MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi has published: “It takes a special kind of people to feed those who are ordered to beat and repress them. I stand with the farmers of Punjab and other parts of India, including our family and friends, who are peacefully protesting the invasive privatization of #FarmersBill 2020. “
Supporting farmers in India, Ontario New Democratic Party leader Andrea Horwath said: “Everyone deserves to be able to exercise their democratic rights without fear of state-sanctioned violence.”
Previously, NRIs in Canada, Italy, the US, the UK and France have expressed support for farmers and have also organized protests against the three agricultural bills recently passed by the Union Government.
The NRIs have condemned the police action against the farmers who were protesting peacefully towards Delhi to organize a protest.
Gurpreet Singh from Canada said: “I came to Canada about ten years ago and I have agricultural land in Punjab. Even all my relatives in Punjab are associated with agriculture, I feel that these reform bills were passed to crush small farmers, so it is necessary for everyone to go out and support our Punjab farmers. “
