While tweeting about the farmers protest in India, US Democratic Congressman and Co-Chair of the Congressional India Caucus Brad Sherman said: “All friends of India hope that the parties can reach an agreement.”
Top US Congress members in the India Caucus asked the Indian government to make sure that the norms of democracy are maintained, farmers are allowed to protest peacefully, and provide internet access to protestors and journalists.
US Democratic Congressman and Co-Chair of the Congressional India Caucus Brad Sherman said that he convened a meeting with his Republican Co-Chair, Congressman Steve Chabot, and Vice-Chair Congressman Ro Khanna to speak with Indian Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu about the farmers protest in India.
On Friday, while sharing the news about the meeting on Twitter, Sherman said: “I urged the Indian government to make sure that the norms of democracy are maintained and that protesters are allowed to protest peaceably and to have access to the Internet, and to journalists. All friends of India hope that the parties can reach an agreement.”
Indian envoy Sandhu stated that there were “detailed discussions on varied issues with the leadership of the House Caucus on India and Indian Americans for the 117th Congress.” He further added that he is looking forward to working with them to boost India-US ties.
This was the first meeting of the India Caucus on the farmers protest issue. For the past two months, farmers have been protesting in India against the Indian government’s three new controversial farm laws passed in September. As we have reported earlier, the internet has been restricted in various protest sites in the country.
US Republican Congressman Steve Cohen shared a New York Times article regarding curtailing freedom of speech in India on Twitter and stated that he is closely watching the farmers protest “with concern about potential attacks on freedom of speech including cuts to internet service and state-sponsored violence.”
US Democratic Congressman Eric Swalewall said, “India must commit to peace, negotiate with small farmers, restore internet access, and reject discrimination.”
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