Youth environmental groups join 'DilliChalo' protest under 'Greens with Farmers' banner

Several environmental groups led by the youth of India joined in solidarity with farmers protesting all over the country under 'Greens with Farmers' banner with the demand to withdraw three anti-farmer acts and reverse the dilution of workers' protection. Around 38 youth environmental groups are collaborating together in order to extend their support to farmers.

The groups demand authorities to stop involving in destructive projects,reverse anti-earth policies, abandon fossil fuels. Environmental groups joined the call made by All Indian Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) and general strike announced by the trade unions.

By demanding the withdrawal of the three farm acts, the new Labour Code, and other anti-nature and anti- people policies, the collaborative youth groups have released a solidarity statement on 26th November.

The collective has been conducting awareness raising programs through webinars, coordinating educational campaigns on social media and held tweet storm on 25th November. The youth environmental groups have said to be joining on ground demonstrations in more than 20 cities across India with the conviction that the farmers' movement and environmental movement are same.

Let India Breathe, SAPACC Youth, Youth for Swaraj, Yugma Network, NAPM (YuvaSamvad), Fridays for Future India, Muse Foundation, XR India, Youth For Climate India, Chennai Climate Action Group, Millennials for Environment, Fridays for Future Delhi, Climate Front India, AmcheMollem, Youth for Aarey, DehingPatkai Movement, Green Bud Society Assam, The Matter Collective, Mission Green Goa, Manthan Adhyayan Kendra Pune, Bangalore Environment Trust, Let's Save Delhi, Peace Rights and Environment Society of GAIMS (Presog), Democracy Collective - Haryana Himdhara Collective, Chalakudypuzha Samrakshana Samithi are some environmental groups under this collective.

The environmental groups highlight the importance of recognizing voices of Adivasis, tribal, farmer, pastoralist, forest-dwelling and traditional fishing and marginalized communities, and the need to repair our relationship with the Earth

A public statement released by environmental groups clarified "The provision to allow large corporations to enter into individual contracts with farmers creates a lot of room for legal manipulation in the absence of collective bargaining. Most notably, farmers cannot approach the judiciary in case of being cheated. At a time of climate crisis, all this goes against the requirements of food sovereignty and farmers' resilience"

"Despite long marches of farmers demanding a parliamentary session to discuss farming issues, the three anti-farmer laws have been brought without any consultation with farmers' groups. This shows that the government, far from involving farmers in policy design, is not interested in even listening to farmers. Therefore, any claims of the government to be acting in the interest of farmers are insincere,"the organizers said in the statement.

Speaking with Madhyamam, Yash Marwah, founder of 'Let India Breathe' collective shared that "Farmers issue and environmental issues are not separate they are one. Both are interconnected with each other. The campaign is a larger conversation for how the farmer related issues are not only 'a farmer related thing or rural and village related issue. The coalition has come together to ensure that the climate change conversation also talks about agriculture, food and our farmers,"

"Ever since the farm acts came, we have been closely reading all of that. We have consulting farmers rights movements. We are taking the issue and amplifying it in the digital platform. This is what we are doing basically. We are backing the demands of farmers as well as fighting in general for nature conservation. This will definitely go ahead." Marwah added

Environmental groups demanded the government to convene a Parliamentary session dedicated to listen the farmers and discuss farming issues, especially the Kisan Mukti Bill. The campaign led under the banner 'Greens with Farmers' will end up on 28th November. The young environmental activists are planning to continue the awareness programs in future along with farmers demand by the intention to conserve nature.