Rallies in Charlottetown support farmers protesting in India

Around 50 people set up at the intersection ofGreat George and Grafton streets on Tuesday evening holding signs as part of a demonstration of support for farmers protesting inIndia.

Organizers saythey are hoping the series of planned rallies in Charlottetown will help raise awareness of those protests.

Thousands of farmers in India have been protesting, requesting the government scrap threenew laws they say could devastate crop prices.

The farmers say the laws could cause the government to stop buying grain at guaranteed prices and result in their exploitation by corporations that would buy their crops for less money.

But government says the legislation brings about much-needed reform in agriculture that will allow farmers the freedom to market their produce and boost production through private investment.

The organizers of the Charlottetown rally saidit could be devastating for farmers in India.

"They're afraid that they might not get enough pricefor their cropand eventually this will put their future in danger as well," said Manpreet Singh.

"Farming is the main source of income for us ... if they're going to lose their rights and if we don't have farming in the future, I think that's the biggest impact they're going to have on our families, including ourselves as well."

More than half of India's 1.3 billion population is connected to agriculture and farming, so it's a huge issue for the country and involves a significant voter block.

Singh said the group is holding the rallies to let people know about what is happening in India especially for those with families back home who farm.

"They're really worried about this because, as I told you, wemostly depend on the farming all of my relatives, my family, they're all going to Delhi to protest against these laws," Singh said.

"They are blocking the roads and everything over there so that they can bring the attention of the government towardsthem."

Singh said they are hoping to getthe attention of theCanadian government as well.

They plan to hold moreralliesthis week, with a bigger demonstration this weekend involving supporters from all over the Island.

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