NEW DELHI: After Swedish climate activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg showed solidarity with farmers protesting in India for their rights, Delhi police have reportedly filed a case against her for “spreading misinformation.”
According to a report, Delhi police have accused the teenage climate campaigner of “promoting conspiracy and enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language and acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.”
A day ago, Thunberg shared a news report by CNN on Twitter and wrote: “We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India.”
Reacting to Delhi police’s move, Thunberg once again tweeted about the protests and wrote that she still stands with the farmers.
“I still #StandWithFarmers and support their peaceful protest. No amount of hate, threats or violations of human rights will ever change that. #FarmersProtest,” the activist tweeted.
Why are farmers protesting in India?
Angered by Narendra Modi-led government’s anti-farmers’ law, thousands of Indian farmers have been staging protests since late November 2020 by blocking highways and camping out on the outskirts of New Delhi.
Farmers say the laws threaten their livelihoods. Although various farmer unions have backed the demonstration, the protest is largely led by growers from Punjab and Haryana in India’s north.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and leaders of the protesting farmers’ unions have held several rounds of talks but a deadlock persists over the parliamentary bills passed in September.
Indian farmers have been struggling for years due to low crop prices and rising costs, demonetisation and widespread droughts despite government subsidies and income tax exemptions. Many farmers have fallen into debt, leading to a rise in farmer suicide rates in recent years.
