Indian nationalists “reach new low” in Kaur attack

Indian government supporting media outlets and faceless online accounts have been accused of reaching “a new low” in efforts to tarnish supporters of the #FarmersProtest, after the Kaur Farmers group were attacked online.

Kaur Farmers, an international collective led by Sikh women organising and advocating for the human rights of farmer groups in India, were attacked online after holding a recent public virtual meeting about the movement, featuring respected activists, academics and politicians.

NOTE- The Sikh Press Association will NOT be providing links to the quoted Indian nationalist posts, to prevent further amplification of anti-Sikh narratives. This is in accordance with Sikh PA’s longstanding position on Indian nationalist media content on Sikh issues.

Kiranjit Kaur, one of the lead sevadaars (selfless servants) of Kaur Farmers who saw herself the focus of the targeting, said of the attacks, “”The work Kaur Farmers do is to highlight and empower the inspiring female activism we have seen come out of the farmers movement. We have helped globalise, connect and mobilise farmers across the world in this international struggle against greedy corporations. To be targeted for online hate for doing this, is difficult to say the least.

“As the grandchild of Sikh farmers whom had to travel from Lahore to Panjab and Uttar Pradesh due to the 1947 Partition of Panjab, I was raised to honour all our families had to endure for the freedom of India. I had two dear uncles tragically commit suicide due to the fallout of the ‘Green Revolution’ and the resulting farming crisis in India. Then in 2021, I had to watch our relatives join countless farmers to sleep on cold streets for a year, with some even being killed, for peacefully protesting for their basic human rights. This is where the work of Kaur Farmers stems from; not any anti-Indian agenda, but a genuine love and care for the people of that country who are being victimised by a government that is meant to uphold the human rights of those that feed their nation. We are the voice of the voiceless.“

The anti-Sikh posts on the Kaur Farmers meeting was shared by at least two prominent online Indian news outlets and various other faceless social media accounts. All posts claim the work of groups like Kaur Farmers is based on an anti-Indian conspiracy, without evidence or even an attempt to explain why they would be anti-Indian. The participation of activists such as respected author Pieter Friedrich and Canadian philanthropist and community figure Mo Dhaliwal was also highlighted as evidence of the anti-India agenda, as both have also been targeted by nationalists themselves for work exposing India’s human rights abuses.

Such attacks have been common even before the #Farmersprotest. Previously, Sikh PA have been given examples of pro-Indian nationalist accounts using photo-editing software to sexualise images of real Kaurs – mainly dastaar (Sikh turban) wearing women – for posts focused on degrading Sikh women whilst championing the dominant status of Hindu men in India. Social media giants Instagram and Twitter were dismissively slow to react to such accounts.

Only last week a CFIR report on fake online profiles being used to espouse Indian nationalist rhetoric brought attention to the issue. Yet, the online campaigns remain in full-motion, with no sign of intervention from any of the social media giants who help platform the dangerous posts.

Sikh PA Senior Press Officer, who himself took part and spoke during the meeting, said of the attacks, “The attack dogs of the Indian state have reached a new low in publishing images of a British Sikh woman and affiliating her with anti-nationalism.

“Kaur Farmers are an outstanding example of the peaceful and democratic means within which Sikh organisations have protested against India during the #farmersprotest. Yet, they find themselves attacked, with one of their leads having her image shared across the internet alongside claims of an anti-Indian agenda.

“This is not only dangerous, it is a malicious lie aimed at distracting attention away from the talking points brought forward by Kaur Farmers, which clearly outline an ongoing history of human rights abuses and injustices against India’s farmers, Sikhs and all minorities of the country by government. Social media giants like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram need to act to prevent such posts being shared on their platforms. The UK government also needs to increase focus on the threat Indian nationalism poses to its citizens.”

The #FarmersProtest movement has continued, despite the repeal of the disputed farming laws which started the protests, with a focus now coming on specific issues such as the lack of a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for various produce. Sikh organisations across the world remain in support of such efforts.

The issue is set to be raised within parliamentary circles, as Kiranjit Kaur added, “The Foreign Secretary has a duty to British citizens to protect us against an Indian government which buys out media across the country and then publishes conspiracies, lies and propaganda against groups who work for human right advocacy.”