Latest developments - with 39 updates. Thursday 4th Feb : Be Informed, Be Active
1. The GDP of india has fallen as Modi makes its economically weak, but even worse Modi continues to demonstrate the moral bankruptcy of the Indian govt. We see today the morcha sites look like Nazi concentration camps, we see BJP goons burning effigies of Greta Thunberg, we see threat of 7 year Jail sentences to senior Twitter staff, we see journalists arrested, we see female activists sexually and physically assaulted, then see a protestor shot in the face, then media deny he was shot despite the wounds on video, we see thousands of elderly citizens sleeping on a motorway, which leads to 200 passing away. It’s demonstrates Modi operating india as a authoritarian fascist regime.
2. The reaction to the tweet of Rihanna has shown how vain, fickle, panicked the so called powerful BJP govt are.
3. Times of India - The Indian government on Wednesday warned Twitter to either follow its orders regarding removal of "inflammatory content" on farmers' protests, or be ready to face jail and financial penalty. The action, under the IT Act Section 69A (3), could result in up to seven years jail for senior Twitter India officials, and a financial penalty on the firm.
4. In reference to spikes in the ground. Punji sticks made from bamboo were used in the Vietnam war and some other earlier wars against enemy armies were internationally banned in the early 1980s with the ‘Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons’. Today even deadlier iron spikes are being used against our “own” farmers around Delhi.
5. Farm leader Rakesh Takait continues to draw huge crowds. He talked about internet ban has said that this is a revolution & not whatsapp game, agitation is unaffected with internet ban. He said that it’s fight for fair price of crops. He said that we won’t leave & are not intimidated by Delhi police’s nails on roads.
6. Rakesh Takait has said that chaka jaam of 6th will be outside Delhi everywhere in India. He has sought cooperation and urged people to participate in 3hr Transport strike on 6th Feb
7. On 126th day of protest in Machiwara area, a motorcycle rally was taken out by youth. The rally with over 500 motorcycles passed through 40 villages. The rally was welcomed in all villages with showers of flower petals.
8. Key meeting is underway between Amit Shah, Police Commissioner and notorious Ajit Doval. Discussions on analysis of 26th is the main agenda along with law and order conditions around the borders of Delhi.
9. Adding to human rights violations of protesting people electricity supplies are either disconnected or low phased at Tikri. This hasn’t stopped farmers & many generators have been brought in from Punjab. 17 gensets reached today at Tikri.
10. BKU Ekta-Ugrahan person said that farmers of Daun Kalan in Patiala brought a generator yesterday and now we are getting power from here. At the langar site we need the power to operate chapat-making machines. Many other volunteers have installed solar panels and are constantly bringing in diesel for the generators.
11. Many more Khaps ( gatherings) have announced March to #ghazipurborder and the crowd is expected to swell even more. Current numbers approximately close to 2.3 lacs.
12. Today there was waterlogging at Singhu, so protestors brought a water dispenser to get rid of rainwater.
13. Here is what Dissent looks like in india. If you protest in Bihar, you will not be given clearance by police for passport application (if you ever apply). If you protest in Uttarakhand you are no longer eligible for government jobs. If you protest in Kashmir you are eligible for UAPA and even extra judicial encounter. If you protest in Punjab you are stamped with UAPA. 4060 Sikh youth are facing UAPA in Punjab for merely defining Sikh narratives clearly as they are without R/L alignment. Let this sink in. Let the world know. I know lot of people who won’t speak a word on public platforms because they lose their jobs or fear authorities. I stand by you all. We will over come this. Thanks to farmers we might actually see some light on our beloved nation.” (Amaan)
14. Oldest person arrested by Delhi Police is 80-year-old Gurmukh Singh, a former India army soldier. His name cropped up in the list of 122 people arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with the Republic Day violence, his family in Punjab is yet to reconcile with the shock. The oldest among those arrested, Gurmukh Singh was taken into custody on January 29 by Mukherjee Nagar police station staff. He is a small farmer from Shamaspur village in Fatehgarh Sahib district and grows wheat and paddy on his one-and-a-half acre plot of land. He has been in Delhi ever since the protest began in November 2020. The police's list of arrested includes those in their 70s and 80s. Gurmukh Singh like all others have been charged with rioting, unlawful assembly, assaulting and obstructing public servant, attempt to murder, dacoity and robbery. “He was against the farm laws since day one and wanted them repealed… he has been at the morcha at Delhi’s Singhu border since the beginning. Gurmukh retired from the Army as a subedar more than three decades ago. He leads a disciplined life and would go to the gurdwara twice a day…,” said the sarpanch.
15. United Hindu Front burn pictures of new USA Vice President Kamala Harris niece Meena Harris. She tweets to show how ridiculous they are.
16. NDTV New Delhi: Greta Thunberg's tweets on farmers have been cited in a case filed today by the Delhi Police that alleges an overseas "conspiracy" and an attempt to "promote enmity between groups". The teen climate campaigner, unfazed, tweeted that she "still" stood with farmers and "no amount of threats" would change that.
17. BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi speaks on climate and environmental activist Greta Thunberg, over her tweet on #FarmLaws. She said Greta proves farmers protest are a foreign plan against India and then condemns Greta for being nominated for Nobel Peace Prize. 🤦♂️So this lady BJP leaders blame Sweden, Kangana blames China, others BJP leaders blame USA and Pakistan. But none of them realize a farmers just want to get paid for his crop and life in dignity.
18. Dr Kamal Arora in reference to Kangana Ranaut tweets said, “ I wrote my PhD dissertation on a genocide. And spent a lot of time thinking about what exactly a genocide is. This is genocidal language. It advocates for eradicating a category of people. Please report her tweet.”
19. Twitter then deleted Kangana Ranaut tweet as it encourage genocide after thousands of complaints.
20. Twitter owner Jack Dorsey 'Likes' Tweet Asking For Emoji For #FarmersProtest Hashtag. Among the tweets 'liked' by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey was one by Washington Post journalist Karen Attiah.
21. Huge numbers of people notice how the Bollywood and cricketer tweets have the same structure and in many cases the same words. YouTube videos are shared which show how BJP IT cell pays celebrities to tweet their talking points.
22. World Sikh Organization release a major report on how India targets Sikhs in Canada. WSO President Tejinder Singh said today, “The report “Exposed: India’s Disinformation Campaign Against Canada’s Sikhs ” exposes Indian interference and disinformation campaigns targeting Sikhs in Canada. In the aftermath of the farmer protests in India, we are seeing escalated attempts by actors in India to push disinformation, particularly about Sikhs here in Canada. The report reveals that a standard methodology has developed to push false narratives with respect to Sikhs in Canada. There is also evidence to now suggest that India’s intelligence agencies are active in Canada and actively target Canadian politicians and media. “
23. Thousands of farmers from Singhu border do a peaceful candle March to remember the approximately 200 farmers & Navreet Singh who have passed away.
24. The nails inserted on roads at Ghazipur are being removed. Police did not comment on the new development. This is the power of International attention. Let the world know about human right abuses in India against farmers.
25. Youngsters are taking out a march at Mayad Toll Plaza in Hisar.
26. Thousands of people from every community of Sangat are attending the last prayer of Shaheed Navreet Singh at village Dibdiba, Uttar Pradesh.
27. Tributes were paid to Shaheed Navreet Singh from stages at Singhu Ghazipur and Tikri border today.
28. Priyanka Gandhi, the last dwindling hope for a very irrelevant Congress party visits the family of Shaheed Navreet Singh.
29. Experienced journalist Surinder Singh, who is now based in USA, has made some serious exposes on his YouTube channel “Talking Punjab” about Balbir Rajewal, Surjit Dhallewal and Rajinder, and their approach Deep Sidhu and Lakha Sidhana. While we do not want to get into personalities, the last two videos he asks the 3 farmer leaders some direct questions about their behind the scenes hotel meetings.
30. A joint video statement from Toronto Gurdwaras sends a strong message to farm leaders to stop speaking negatively about youth and start to work in harmony with them. They said that further discussions with BJP must include a full release of the sikhs arrested in the morcha.
31. Mayor of Fresno, California Jerry Dyer, states his support for our Farmers in India.The City of Fresno has passed a full Resolution in support, and will announce a Proclamation from the City .
32. Advocate Amardeep Singh Dharni & 2 other senior advocates met the family members of 7 farmers who are in Tihar at the moment. These families belong to village Bhangi Nihal Singh. Necessary formalities for filing release/bail applications in Punjab / Haryana highcourts was taken. Dharni has also met the farmers in Tihar and said convinced the families that the farmers belong to entire world now. Dharni said that families are stressed due to lack of information. Out of 7, 3 farmers have their brothers in Indian army.
33. Eleven football supporter groups from across the leagues unite in support of Indian farmers; Fans to unveil banner to show unity with farmers who are protesting against agricultural reform; One group has raised more than £10,000 for a charity providing assistance.
34. American football league NFL star Juju Smith Schuster today (Feb 4) said he would chip in towards medical assistance for the farmers who have been camping out in the chilly cold Delhi weather since late November 2020. “Happy to share that I’ve donated USD 10,000 to provide medical assistance to the farmers in need in India to help save lives during these times. I hope we can prevent any additional life from being lost. #FarmersProtest” he tweeted.
35. BBC shows more news coverage on farmers protest today.
36. Tv celebrity Adil Ray tweeted, “Britain owes Punjab. Without Punjab and it’s workforce Britain would not be what it is today. Punjabis represent one of our largest communities. If our politicians and the media wish to be inclusive now is not the time to be silent: India farmers protests.”
37. Saving Punjab asks everyone to watch the documentary “Toxification” on Netflix to understand the real cost of the rice on your plate.
38. Thank you to everyone who heard our call to make female activist Nodeep Kaur famous today. Hundreds of thousands have been shared on social media about her. The lastest information on her is NodeepKaur ‘s next hearing is on Feb-8th. Nodeep's family alleges she was fired from her job because of her activism, arrested, sexually harassed in custody & denied bail twice because the farmers & workers' unity became problematic for the Kundli Industrial Assc. and the Haryana government. Kundli Industrial Associations chief denied Nodeep's employment. Gupta said, “You should check her background, with what I know, she is not a worker at any of the factories here. She is one of those who did sloganeering at Shaheen Bagh last year,” he said. Nodeep has been denied bail twice because of a range of charges slapped against her, including Section 307 - attempt to murder. The next bail hearing is scheduled for February 8. She will complete 26 days in custody on February 8. In reality all she did was speak for farmers and workers rights.
39. Lastly please read the tweet by former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju. He responds to those celebrities who say this is an internal India matter and demonstrates the fascism in Indian BJP thinking.
