Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum says he stands in solidarity with the farmers in India and will be asking the rest of council to do the same.
McCallum said he will be bringing forward a motion at the April 12 meeting, asking council to join him in this motion “and show that Surrey stands in solidarity with the farmers in India,” according to an emailed statement Tuesday (April 6).
Three bills were put forward in India in September that protesters say will hurt small-time farmers in India.
Since then, protests have been happening daily in India and have expanded around the world, including to Surrey.
READ ALSO: Thousands take part in second car rally in support, solidarity of farmers in India, Dec. 5, 2020
“Many residents of Surrey have family and friends in India who have been adversely impacted by the faming bills passed in their ancestral land,” McCallum noted. “The changes affecting the farmers in India threaten their livelihood and their protests have been met with a heavy hand by the Government of India.”
He added with April being Sikh Heritage Month and also marking Vaisakhi, “it is timely and fitting that City Council supports this important issue that affects so many of Surrey’s Indian community.”
Meantime, Vancouver city council recently passed a motion to support farmers in India.
lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com
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