As PM Narendra Modi travels to Glasgow to take part in the COP26 meet, the Indian diaspora has announced to hold demonstrations in dissent. The demonstration at George Square in Glasgow will be in solidarity with the ongoing farm movement in India, where lakhs of farmers have been sitting in protest against Modi’s government for nearly a year. Farm movement has received overwhelming support from the Indian community living abroad.
Shaheed Kalash Yatra in Maharashtra and Tamilnadu
In Maharashtra, a Shaheed Kalash Yatra began with great enthusiasm from Mahatma Jyotirao Phule’s house in Pune. The yatra began after garlanding the statues of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule. An assembly of farmers was also held. The yatra will end with a huge Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat in Mumbai at the Hutatma Chowk on November 18th.
At Vedaranyam in Tamil Nadu, where salt satyagraha was organized by Rajaji during Mahatma Gandhi’s Dandi March in 1930, a four-day Shaheed Kalash Yatra concluded with a meet attended by hundreds of farmers and citizens. After the meet, the ashes of martyrs was immersed in the Bay of Bengal.
Repressive State and Sensationalist Media: Disha Ravi Toolkit case
According to the media reports, the Disha Ravi toolkit case might be closed, with the probe making no headway after eight months.
It should be noted that a young student and environment activist Disha Ravi was charged and arrested for supporting the farm movement. She was granted bail after spending 10 days in jail. However, after eight months, the police is yet to establish the alleged “pre-planned conspiracy”.
It is important to underline here the role of the repressive state and the sensationalist media which targeted a young student for the ’crime’ of supporting the farm movement. The media and state apparatus did not even spare international celebrities for their unconditional support for the Indian farmers.
Farmers Movement Complete 11 months at Delhi Borders, Protests All over Country
SKM asks the Union Government to stop harassing and intimidating supporters of the farm movement, as it had done recently by deporting an NRI supporter of the movement, Darshan Singh Dhaliwal.
The family of Lakhbir Singh, who was found murdered at the Singhu border has been paid compensation by the Union and the Haryana State BJP governments. It is noteworthy that governments which have earlier claimed that they have no information or records about deaths in the movement, have shown readiness to pay compensation in the case of Lakhbir Singh. As SKM had previously asserted, there appears to be a deep conspiracy in the case to give a bad name to the farmers’ movement and to entrap it in violence. SKM demands a Supreme Court monitored investigation to establish the truth.
SKM pays tributes to freedom fighter and Gandhian leader Shri SN Subba Rao, who passed away this morning. Shri Rao was 92 years old. From Quit India movement till recently, he was a always a part of people’s movements, and was a champion of communal harmony and unity.
