Washington:
A group of seven influential US lawmakers, including Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, have written to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, urging him to raise the issue of the farmers’ protest in India with his Indian counterpart.
India has called the statements by foreign leaders and politicians about the farmers’ protests “misinformed” and “unjustified”, stating that the matter concerns the internal affairs of a democratic country.
“We have seen some misinformed comments … related to farmers in India. Such comments are unwarranted, especially when they concern the internal affairs of a democratic country,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava told early this month.
This is an issue of particular concern to Sikh Americans with ties to Punjab, although it also strongly affects Indian Americans who belong to other Indian states, lawmakers said in their letter to Pompeo dated Dec. 23.
“Many Indian Americans are directly affected as they have family and ancestral lands in Punjab and are concerned about the well-being of their families in India. In view of this dire situation, we urge you to contact your Indian counterpart to bolster the US States’ commitment to freedom of political expression abroad, they said.
In their letter, lawmakers said the United States, as a nation familiar with political protests, can offer advice to India during its current period of social unrest.
“As national legislators, we respect the right of the Government of India to determine national policy, in accordance with current law. We also recognize the rights of those, in India and abroad, currently peacefully protesting against agricultural laws that many farmers Indians consider an attack on their economic security, “lawmakers said.
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and several other states have been protesting at various borders in Delhi since Nov. 26, seeking the repeal of three agricultural laws enacted in September.
Dubbing these laws “anti-farmer,” these farmers claim that the newly enacted legislation would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of large corporations.
However, the government has argued that the new laws will provide farmers with better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture. There have been several rounds of talks between representatives of the protesters and the Indian government, but the stalemate continues.
In addition to Jayapal, the letter has been signed by Congressmen Donald Norcross, Brendan F Boyle, Brian Fitzpatrick, Mary Gay Scanlon, Debbie Dingell, and David Trone.
Over the past few weeks, more than a dozen US congressmen have expressed concern about the ongoing protest by farmers in India.
Earlier this month, Congressman John Garamendi, co-chair of the American Sikh Caucus, along with Congressman Jim Costa and Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee – members of the American Sikh Caucus – sent a letter to the Indian Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, expressing their solidarity. with the protesters and defending their right to peaceful protest.
Democratic US lawmaker David Trone on Tuesday urged the Indian government to provide security for protesting farmers, praising recent offers of dialogue and a proposal from India’s Supreme Court to establish mediation.
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