Indian diaspora groups in US launch rose campaign in support of protesting farmers in India
Washington, Feb 14: A group of Indian diaspora organisations launched a rose campaign on the occasion of Valentine's Day on Sunday in support of the farmers protesting against the new farm laws in India.
The Global Indian Progressive Diaspora (GIPD) launched the social media campaign on Valentine's Day, which is observed globally on February 14.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at several Delhi border points since November last year, demanding the government to repeal three farm laws and provide them legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
Multiple rounds of talks between the government and farmer unions have not been able to resolve the deadlock.
Tweet or Send a Rose to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi asking to repeal farm laws or Send a Rose to the Indian Embassy/General Counsel in your respective region to express your solidarity with farmers in India. #Rose2Repeal #LoveToFarmers #OneAppealRepeal, GIPD said in a post on social media.
The organisation also released a letter addressed to Indian Consulates as part of its Love Conquers Hate Campaign.
The international community of progressive Indians, from over 12 diaspora organisations spread across the globe, extend their support to the farmers and their rightful demand to be heard and call for the repeal of farm laws and ask for shared governance in reformulating such laws, a media statement said.
In pursuit of that goal, a broad coalition of partner organisations invites our media partners and fellow human rights organisations to help us amplify voices of support to the farmers and a universal call for peace, unity and harmony in India, it said.
India has emphasised that the protests by farmers must be seen in the context of India's democratic ethos and polity and the Ministry of External Affairs said that some vested interest groups have tried to mobilise international support against the country.
In a statement earlier this month, the ministry, in a statement highlighted that the Parliament of India had passed the "reformist legislation" for the agricultural sector, which "a very small section of farmers" have some reservations about and therefore the laws have been kept on hold while talks are held.
"Before rushing to comment on such matters, we would urge that the facts be ascertained, and a proper understanding of the issues at hand be undertaken," the MEA statement of February 3 said.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
