Pramila Jayapal, 6 other influential US lawmakers ask Pompeo to raise farm protests issue with Jaishankar

NewsBharati    26-Dec-2020 12:41:21 PM
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Washington DC, December 26: While interfering in India's internal matter, Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and a group of six influential US lawmakers have written a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over farmers’ protest. They have urged him to raise the issue of the farmers’ protest with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
 
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In their letter lawmakers have termed the protests an issue of particular concern to Sikh Americans linked to Punjab and that it also heavily impacts the Indian Americans belonging to other Indian states. Apart from Jayapal, the letter has been signed by Congressmen Donald Norcross, Brendan F Boyle, Brian Fitzpatrick, Mary Gay Scanlon, Debbie Dingell, and David Trone.
 
“Many Indian Americans are directly affected as they have family members and ancestral land in Punjab and are concerned about the well-being of their families in India. In view of this serious situation, we urge you to contact your Indian counterpart to reinforce the United States' commitment to the freedom of political speech abroad,” they said.
 
The lawmakers have said that the US, as a nation that is familiar with political protests, can offer counsel to India during their current period of social disturbance.
 
In their letter lawmakers mentioned that they respect the right of the government of India to determine national policy, in compliance with existing law, and also acknowledge the rights of those in India and abroad to protest peacefully against farm laws perceived by Indian farmers as an attack on their economic security.
 
This is not the first time Pramila Jayapal has interfered in India's matter. Earlier she has also expressed concern about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens.
 
Apart from this, she had also opposed the Indian Government's Article 370 move. She had also moved a Congressional resolution urging India to end the restrictions on communications in Jammu and Kashmir as soon as possible.
 
Earlier, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau also express concern over the farmers protest.