Original Article
January 23, 2021
Neel Kamal

Sikh-American human rights advocacy group Sikh Coalition has written a letter to the US President Joe Biden urging the new administration “to support India’s farmers and take a stand for human rights”. The organisation has asked President Biden to release a statement “reminding” Prime Minister Narendra Modi government that peaceful protest — without the fear of violence and intimidation — is a fundamental right in a democracy.

Sikh Coalition claimed thousands of Sikh Americans have already called on their elected representatives to speak out in support of the farmers’ protest. In addition, community members have held solidarity marches in 16 states over the last two months, with more scheduled for this weekend.

The letter signed by Sikh Coalition’s senior policy and advocacy manager Sim J Singh claimed the new laws drastically deregulate the agriculture sector “without any significant protections for farmers, giving corporate entrants unprecedented control over India’s food supply and further devastating the majority of India’s small farmers”.

As they continue to engage in good faith, the farmers’ resolve to repeal the laws was an effort towards critical agricultural reform that serves the interests of farmers and laborers and not just corporate entities, it read. “They know that these laws will prevent their ability to protect their rights as judicial jurisdiction has been removed through these new bills. Their thinking is simple: I might die protesting for my family’s rights today, but I will be disenfranchised and bonded to labour under large monopolies that benefit only corporations if these new laws apply to my livelihood tomorrow,” the letter by the US group claims.

“While the protests remain peaceful, the response from the Indian government and security forces has not,” the group has alleged, adding that the government’s response escalated whenever additional citizens showed support in their home states and attempted to join the protesters on the outskirts of Delhi.

“We urge the White House to issue a statement in advance of the January 26 protest that reminds the Indian government that the world is watching,” the letter added.