India: International CSOs and unions express solidarity with protesting farmers and denounce government repression
Farmers in India have been protesting against a package of agricultural reform laws passed in September 2020. Unions have condemned the reforms for threatening farmers’ precarious livelihoods by empowering large agribusinesses and rendering the Minimum Support Price mechanism redundant. In November 2020, over 250 million workers participated in a nation-wide strike in solidarity in farmers. Farmers continue to occupy a protest camp in Delhi. In an attempt to quash protests, the government has cut internet in parts of New Delhi, protestors have been met with police violence, and journalists have been charged with sedition for covering the protests. More information and coverage may be found here.
International civil society organisations and unions have expressed solidarity with the protesting farmers, calling on the Indian government to repeal the anti-worker laws and end their repression of protesting farmers, unions, activists, and journalists.