In a letter, they express “serious concern” over “ongoing civil unrest” in India.
A group of seven US lawmakers, six Democrats and one Republican, have written to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the farmers’ protest, expressing “serious concern” over “ongoing civil unrest” in India. The letter asks Mr. Pompeo to contact his counterpart, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, on the matter.
“As a nation that is familiar with political protests, we believe the United States can offer advice to India during its current period of social unrest,” lawmakers wrote Dec. 23 of the thousands of farmers in states like Punjab and Haryana who have been participate in a ‘Dilli Chalo’ (march on Delhi) protest for a month. Farmers protest against the agricultural laws passed by Parliament in September.
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“As national legislators, we respect the right of the Government of India to determine national policy, in accordance with existing law. We also recognize the rights of those in India and abroad currently peacefully protesting against agricultural laws that many Indian farmers see as an attack on their economic security, ”they wrote.
New Delhi has previously been irritated by criticism from foreign governments and said it is interference in India’s internal affairs.
Earlier this month, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comments in support of farmers were called misinformed and unjustified by Foreign Ministry (MEA) spokesman Anurag Srivastava.
“In particular, we are forced to contact you after seeing in the international press that Punjab farmers peacefully protesting towards Delhi were brutally subjected to attacks with water cannons, barbed wire barricades and tear gas by staff. Indian security. ”, said the members of the United States Congress (House of Representatives) in their letter.
“This is an issue of particular concern to Sikh Americans linked to Punjab, although it also strongly affects Indian Americans from other Indian states. Many Indian Americans are directly affected because they have family and ancestral lands in Punjab and are concerned about the well-being of their families in India. “
Another group of three lawmakers from the American Sikh Caucus had written to the Indian ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, in early December, expressing concern about the government’s reaction to the protests.
“In view of this dire situation, we urge you to contact your Indian counterpart to strengthen the United States’ commitment to freedom of political expression abroad,” reads the latest letter of December 23.
The legislators who drafted the letter are Democrats Donald Norcross (NJ), Brendan F. Boyle (Pennsylvania), Pramila Jayapal (Washington), Debbie Dingell (Michigan), Mary Gay Scanlon (Pennsylvania), David Trone (Marlyand) and the Republican Brian. Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania).
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