Pramila Jayapal, others ask Pompeo to take up issue with New Delhi.
Seven US lawmakers have asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to take up the Indian farmers’ protests about three new agriculture laws with his Indian counterpart, S. Jaishankar as it impacted Indian Americans too.
The lawmakers include Indian American House member from Washington state, Pramila Jayapal.
“Many Indian Americans are directly affected as they have family members and ancestral land in Punjab and are concerned for the well-being of their families in India,” they wrote in a letter dated Dec 23.
“In view of this serious situation, we urge you to contact your Indian counterpart to reinforce the United States’ commitment to the freedom of political speech abroad.”
Given that the US, as a nation, is familiar with political protests, it could offer counsel to India “during their current period of social disturbance,” the lawmakers wrote.
“As national legislators, we respect the right of the government of India to determine national policy, in compliance with existing law,” they wrote.
RELATED: Amid protests in US, India defends new farm laws (December 21, 2020)
But, “we also acknowledge the rights of those in India and abroad who are currently protesting peacefully against agricultural laws that many Indian farmers see as an attack on their economic security”.
In addition to Jayapal, the letter has been signed by Donald Norcross, Brendan F Boyle, Brian Fitzpatrick, Mary Gay Scanlon, Debbie Dingell and David Trone.
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana states, have been agitating for more than a month against three new farm laws that they say will lead to corporate exploitation.
Indian government maintains that these agricultural reform measures would “double farmer’s incomes and expand the agricultural market.”
Over the past few weeks, more than a dozen US lawmakers have expressed concern about the farmers’ protests.
Earlier this month, John Garamendi, Co-Chair of the American Sikh Caucus, along with Two other caucus members, Jim Costa and Shelia Jackson Lee, sent a letter to the Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, expressing solidarity with the protestors and defending their right to peaceful protest.
Democrat lawmaker David Trone has also urged the Indian government to provide safety to the farmers and welcomed Indian Supreme Court’s proposal to set up a mediation panel.
1 Comment
So is US and Canada now going to support MSP in India for which west has raised questions in WTO and has been asking India to stop MSP?