Press Release - Hindu nationalist RSS engaging in land grabs of minorities of India
Admin | On 05, Dec 2020
OFMI JOINS IN PROTEST AGAINST THE TYRANNICAL BEHAVIOUR OF THE INDIAN
GOVERNMENT AS THE FARMERS RESIST THE FARM BILLS
December 4, 2020: OFMI joins in protest with the farmers of India who have stood up for their rights
against the BJP, who have instituted farm bills which seek to leave poor farmers unprotected against
the machinations of big corporations.
It is with sadness to note how the BJP government has set on a path to dismantle safeguards for
smallholder farmers, through 3 farm bills that plunges them into unregulated markets which are
monopolized by big corporations.
Smallholder farmers who are already struggling to make ends meet, will be taken advantage of and
will have no bargaining power to carve out a profitable farming for themselves. They will become
slaves for big corporations who will subject them to harsh contracts which will decimate many
millions of farmer families in Punjab and many other rural areas in India.
It is disheartening to note that already as the farmers have reached New Delhi to protest in a
peaceful manner, propaganda to criminalize the innocent farmers is surfacing all over India to create
animosity within the many minorities of India.
We at OFMI are not surprised by this as we know that these are the hallmarks of the RSS, who
through their Hindutva ideology seek to undermine and trample on the rights of minorities in India.
The farm legislation is just another ploy of the RSS masked in big corporations to control
agribusiness at the expense of smallholder farmers. This is a deliberate manoeuvre by the RSS to
take control of the smallholder farmers’ livelihoods through the fascist leadership of India.
It has been nearly a week of peaceful protests where farmers mobilized themselves on tractors to
march to New Delhi to protest this gross injustice. On the way, the peaceful protesters have been
met with violence and heavy-handedness perpetrated by state authorities.
As the processions ensued to march towards New Delhi, the Indian Police in the BJP controlled State
of Haryana, used teargas and water cannons against peaceful protests. Thousands of farmers have
been barred to enter New Delhi and most are barricaded to enter New Delhi, as if they are illegal
aliens in their own country. The Border Security Forces have been mobilized to deny the farmers
their democratic right to protest injustice against the BJP marginalization of the Sikh people,
Muslims, Christians and other minorities of India.
The international community in light of this brazen violence against peaceful protesters, has been
speaking out and rallying behind the farmers. Notable politicians in many democratic countries have
spoken out against the Indian government and how it is responding to the peaceful protesters who
are only seeking protection from exploitation.
Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau has noted with concern on the heavy handedness employed
by the Indian State to quell these peaceful demonstrations:
“Canada will always be there to defend the right of peaceful protest”
An MP in the United Kingdom, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi also showed support to the farmers by
sending out a tweet:
“It takes a special kind of people to feed those ordered to beat and suppress them. I stand with
farmers of the #Punjab and other parts of #India, including our family and friends, who are
peacefully protesting against the encroaching privatisation of #FarmersBill2020.”
In Australia Rob Mitchell also voiced his concerns with the state violence meted out against the
farmers:
“I urge the Indian government to show restraint and compassion when dealing with protesters. Right
across the world, we know that the best way to find a solution to a situation is through dialogue.
Dialogue is always better than violence, and I hope that these calls are heard.”
OFMI joined a protest at the San Francisco Indian consulate to protest against the anti-farmer farm bills.
Mr Bhajan Singh Bhinder, Director OFMI is seen in the video below creating awareness on the Punjab Farmers issue at the protest in San Francisco, where minorities’ representatives jointly protested against the anti-farmers laws made by the fascist BJP.
Kind Regards
OFMI Volunteers