UNITED SIKHS earmarks INR 26 Lakhs to Support Farmer Protesters Arrested and Missing since Jan 26th
UNITED SIKHS has allocated INR 26 Lakhs to alleviate the hardships faced by farmer protesters who were arrested or are missing since the farmer tractor rally on Jan 26th 2021. This Legal Aid fund includes any current and future advocacy support for the charges these protesters face, welfare of affected families and for actions against any human rights violations they have suffered since their arrest or disappearance.
Following the farmer tractor rally on January 26th, chaos ensued when the mainstream media reported on deaths, violence and arrests of farmers and supporters. We were flooded with calls from supporters, field volunteers and the local impacted communities from multiple states. They relayed an atmosphere of fear similar to what minority communities felt in pogroms of the past. Years on, in many of these instances there is a history of justice being delayed and denied. Hence, there was a need to mobilize a broad legal response to provide support to the victims and their families. We were not merely concerned with their bail. We wanted the arrested protesters cleared of all charges and the missing protesters located and reunited with their families. Equally important was for us to ensure that these protesters’ families receive our support throughout the process, which can stretch into months, perhaps years, as the charged persons travel from their hometowns across North India to Delhi for their court dates. We knew that this process would require funds.
In addition, legal teams were set up by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and other organizations.
As the legal teams provide their pro bono services, we are looking for advice from DSGMC, SKM and the sangat to help facilitate the disbursement of the legal aid funds collected for current and ongoing legal aid projects and the welfare of victims and their families.
Harpreet Kaur, UNITED SIKHS Legal Director, India, said, “Safeguarding the welfare of the victims and their families, regardless of the time it takes to process the cases, is part of our Legal Aid project. We continue to receive requests for assistance on our Legal Aid helpline.”
We thank our donors for giving us the opportunity to help the affected families. View our Legal Aid efforts here.
Our toll free helpline (+91-1-800-258-5759) exists for affected persons and families to report on their urgent legal needs. This is an ongoing service and will help solidify the efforts to seek legal justice and provide relief to the affected families. An online helpdesk database has also been created for missing protestors. If you are aware of any impacted families, please reach out to us via the toll-free helpline or submit the form at the above mentioned link.
UNITED SIKHS will continue to stand with the farmers in India to provide humanitarian and legal aid services. This is only possible with the support of our well-wishers, the unyielding dedication of our sewadaars, and the generosity of our donors.
Stay Engaged, United, Involved and Be Empowered.
Parvinder Singh
UNITED SIKHS, India
+91-1-800-258-5759
law-india@unitedsikhs.org
contact@unitedsikhs.org