Farmers protests in India

Top lines

Tens of thousands of farmers have been protesting for more than two months in India over new agriculture laws, which the farmers argue benefit only big corporations.

The violent nature of recent clashes between the farmers and police has caused serious concern and puts democratic rights and freedoms at risk.

The police and Indian Government’s response to the protests, which include curbs on social media, have been criticised by human rights organisations. The Government says that the protestors only represent a small group of farmers, that some of the protestors have used violence against the police, and that the police have used restraint.

Labour must urge the UK Government to encourage the Indian authorities to protect the farmers’ right to peaceful protest, their right to freedom of assembly and expression, and to respond to any incidents of civil disobedience in a proportionate and appropriate manner.

The UK Government values its trade relationship with India, which is currently worth more than £18bn annually, but the UK-India relationship must be deeper than just trade, and should be based on the promotion of democracy, human rights and upholding international law, alongside working in partnership on areas such as security and climate change.

The Indian Government has joined the governments of Uganda and Belarus in shutting off the internet as a way of curbing the right to peaceful protest. Labour should encourage the Government to come up with a broader strategy to defend internet freedom and prevent governments from adopting this authoritarian tactic.

The UK Government should also raise current issues around human rights and religious freedoms in India, including the recent closure of Amnesty International’s offices.

Image credit: Women show their agricultural products, India, 2009. Simone D. McCourtie/World Bank via Flickr.