[imagesource: Getty]

Since November, thousands of farmers have been camping outside of New Dheli and threatening to enter the Indian capital if current farm laws are not repealed.

Many of them are members of the Sikh religious minority and come from the states of Punjab and Haryana.

It’s worth noting that more than 60% of India’s upwards of 1,3 billion people still depend primarily on agriculture for their livelihood.

The protesters are challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to reshape farming in India. Recent amendments to farming laws would minimise the government’s role in agriculture, and open it up to private investors.

On the one hand, the government says that private investment would bring growth. The farmers, on the other hand, are concerned that the removal of already insufficient state protections would leave them at the mercy of greedy corporations.

Moving on to how Greta Thunberg fits into all of this.

Police are looking into a “controversial toolkit” allegedly put together by Peace for Justice, an organisation founded by MO Dhaliwal, that was released with instructions on how to support the farmers in their efforts, reports Sky News.

This ‘toolkit’ has been cited in a case filed by Delhi police.

The case centres on charges of “sedition, overseas conspiracy, and an attempt to promote enmity between groups”.

The case mentions a tweet sent out by Thunberg with the toolkit attached. She later deleted that tweet, before sharing an updated version.

You can see a few of her tweets at the start of this video:

Her latest tweet:

I still #StandWithFarmers and support their peaceful protest.
No amount of hate, threats or violations of human rights will ever change that. #FarmersProtest

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) February 4, 2021

Police said in the case that her tweet “exposes the conspiracy by an organised overseas network” to instigate the farmer protests.

Rihanna, US Vice President Kamala Harris’s niece Meena, and Lebanese American model Mia Khalifa have also expressed their support for the protests.

This has stoked anger from leaders and pro-government activists in India.

“It is unfortunate to see vested interest groups trying to enforce their agenda on these protests, and derail them,” India’s foreign ministry said, in a rare statement criticising “foreign individuals” posting on social media.

On Thursday, activists from United Hindu Front took to the streets to burn images of Rihanna and Thunberg, among others, to express their discontent.

Earlier this week, authorities suspended internet access to a number of areas around the capital, and have previously blocked the Twitter accounts of the leaders and activists rallying for the farmers.

[source:skynews]