Hundreds of people led a procession across the Bay Bridge Saturday afternoon in solidarity with farmers in India who are protesting several agriculture laws.
Bay Area residents, many of them Indian immigrants or residents of South Asian descent, were joined by travelers from the Central Valley and greater Sacramento area to wave flags, honk horns and chant protest slogans. The caravan departed near the Port of Oakland and circled past the Indian Consulate General in San Francisco, where protesters said the country’s deregulatory laws will drive Indian farmers to economic ruin. It snarled traffic on the bridge for much of the afternoon.
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For days on end, thousands of farmers have poured into the Indian capital of New Delhi. Hundreds have been detained or arrested, according to news reports, as protests have meanwhile spread elsewhere in the country, as well as the U.S. and Canada.“The bills they introduced are 110% against the farmers and the people in Punjab,” said Livermore resident Harpreet Singh. “They have to kneel down on their knees and take these bills back.”
As the caravan proceeded through Oakland, a large group of protesters lined the sidewalks of Middle Harbor Road, some standing at the Maritime Way intersection and chanting at the vehicles passing by. Demonstrators held signs that read, “Shame on the Indian government!” and “We are farmers, not terrorists,” the latter an apparent reference to anti-protest rhetoric in India.
But while some brought flyers criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, others said their only cause was to advocate for farmers who would lose government support under the new policies. Indian farmers say that the laws could eliminate the price guarantees they now receive from the government.
“This is a cultural movement,” said Navi Singh. “Farmers have never been able to get by in India and everyone knows that.”
Although organized by The Sikh Coalition, word of Saturday’s demonstration was shared widely on social media. Jagmeet Mohar traveled to Oakland from Manteca in San Joaquin County after seeing a post on his Facebook feed.
“It’s an effort from our side (of the world) to support farmers who are, right now, sleeping on the street,” Mohar said.
Hundreds of Bay Area residents protest crackdown on Indian farmers - The Mercury News
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