Sikhs hold pro-farmer, pro-Independence rally outside Indian mission in US

NEW YORK: Hundreds of Sikhs staged a demonstration outside the Indian Consulate General in New York on Tuesday to express their support for the farmers in India protesting against new farm laws.

Images from the protest site showed a large number of people, mostly Sikhs, raising anti-Modi slogans and holding placards that read, “We support farmers”, according to APP.

Over the last six days, thousands of farmers have blocked the entrance points leading to the Indian capital to vent their anger against the new legislation sponsored by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that they say will curb their earnings and benefit big corporations.

In New York, police took strict measures as the protestors denounced the Indian government, with some of them raising “Khalistan Zinda Bad” slogans. Sikhs also held car rallies in other parts of the City.

Meanwhile, the General Counsel of the U.S.-based Sikhs for Justice (SfJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, said in a statement that the New York rally was the start of a series of pro-farmer and pro-independence rallies outside Indian missions across North America and Europe.

The group has already announced one million US dollars in aid for Punjabi farmers who suffered injuries or damage to their vehicles in clashes with police as they marched into New Delhi to protest against new farm laws.

SfJ said it will open 24 -hour call centers on Nov. 30 in the United States, Canada, UK, France & Germany to take online applications from farmers of Punjab and Haryana to reimburse them for their losses and also to register votes for the “Khalistan Referendum” that it plans to hold in August.