Brampton: Demonstrations and car rallies were held in different parts of Brampton to support the farmers’ agitation in India.
The call was given jointly by ‘Sarokaran de Awaz’; Alliance of progressive Canadians; Indo- Canadian Workers Association; North-American Tarksheel Society, Ontario; GTA West Club, Communist Party of Canada, Desh Bhagat Sports Cultural society, Brampton and others.
The ‘Car-Rally’ on Bovaird Drive began at Brampton Soccer Centre to the parking lot of the Indian Passport Office, Brampton. More than 800 cars took part in the rally along the 7-km stretch of road in the city.
The demonstrators demanded the rollback all three new Agriculture reform laws enacted by the Government of India. They alleged that these laws were not in favour of farmers of India and damaged the existing agriculture economy of the country.
All cars displayed slogans, flags and banners supporting their demands. A large number of protesters also gathered along the roads.
Addressing the rally, Dr Hardeep Singh and Harbans Singh of Sarokaran-de-Awaz condemned the Indian Government for using water cannon, batons and barricades to try and prevent the protesting farmers of Punjab and Haryana from entering New Delhi.
They said that in every corner of India, farmers were up in arms against the new agricultural laws. These laws -‘Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce Bill 2020; –The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bills, 2020 and –The Essential Commodities (amendment) Bill 2020 would be big threat to the currently protected APMC (Agriculture Produce Market Committee) market system which ensures MSP (Minimum support price) to farmers and purchase of food to supply in the Public distribution System.
With these laws, India’s agriculture economy will be opened to the private market – especially the big Corporate houses and will pave the way to free trade and competitive markets Contract farming and cutting short the regulated list of essential food items for the public.
They charged that the current APMC market system could not survive raw competition and would threaten the security of fixed prices to farmers and would also be a big threat to food security stocks.
Farmers are small players and would not be able to survive in competition with big corporate houses. The collapse of APMC market will ultimately lead to monopoly high prices by the Corporate sector. These laws also talk about Minimum Support Price to Farmers.
They apprehend that these laws talk about the introduction of contract farming by corporate companies.
This means the farmers must bargain for their produce in every season and could not survive as a small player. With the third bill of amendment of essential food product, the Indian Govt. has further cut down list of regulated items and now onions and potatoes are also out of regulation.
This is a bigger threat to all the consumers of India as this would give free hand to stocking and black-market resulting in rising of prices by monopoly stock operators. We all Indo-Canadians are demanding immediate roll back of all three bills and more protection of MSP and PDS system for the welfare of Farmers and workers.
Kuldeep Bopari social activist, Devider Toor of ‘Sarokaran de Awaz’, Harparminder Gadri of ‘Alliance of Progressive Canadians’, Harinder Hundal of ‘GTA West Club, Communist Party of Canada’, Surjit Sahota of ‘Indo- Workers Association, Brampton’, Baldev Rehpa of ‘North American Tarksheel Society’, Darshan Gill of Desh Bhagat sports and Cultural Society, Shamshad Shams of ‘Alliance Of Progressive Canadians’ and others also spoke, declaring A full support to the agitating farmers of India.
Protestors also marched in the streets of Surrey in British Columbia. A car rally from Surrey to Vancouver was also held.
The organizers highlighted the connection of Indian farmers to BC, noting, “We are immigrants and the children of immigrants with deep ties to farming back home and in BC.
Many farmers from Punjab now call BC their home and cultivate the land here. Protestors also gathered in front of the Indian consulate in Toronto.